GCI-Climate

The little water treatment plant that could

tdonnel — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 16:51:24 +0000

The little water treatment plant that could tdonnel Thu, 07/30/2026 - 12:51

On a small organic farm in rural Puerto Rico sits a revolutionary water treatment facility ready for action: the AguaClara PF250, a compact, nonelectric drinking water treatment plant designed specifically for small communities. 911�� researchers Daniel Smith and Catherine Akplah are combining engineering innovation, field research, and community partnership to participate in piloting the facility and assess its viability throughout the island nation.

While most Puerto Ricans receive water from the territorial utility system, 100,000 in rural areas rely on small, community-managed water systems that often struggle with aging infrastructure, limited resources, and vulnerability to hurricanes and power outages.

Unlike conventional treatment facilities, the PF250 operates using hydraulic principles and gravity, entirely without electricity. The system uses the same fundamental processes found in large municipal plants, including coagulation, sedimentation, filtration, and chlorination, but in a smaller, prefabricated design that can be installed in remote locations. The PF250 was designed and fabricated by the nonprofits AguaClara Reach and Agua Para el Pueblo.

AguaClara PF250 water treatment facility at Plenitud PR. Photo provided.

Smith, an assistant professor in 911��’s Sid and Reva Dewberry Department of Civil, Environmental, and Infrastructure Engineering, has spent much of his career working on drinking water treatment systems around the world. His connection to PF250s stretches back nearly two decades through the AguaClara program in Honduras.

“It will be very fulfilling to see something that was a concept 15 or more years ago become a practical solution for communities that need it,” he said. “It's a drinking-water treatment plant that has all of the processes you typically find for big town but, with clever engineering, made as small as possible and able to work without any electricity.”

The 911�� team is partnering with VersaWater, a National Science Foundation (NSF) Convergence Accelerator initiative that includes Cornell University, Syracuse University, Inter American University of Puerto Rico, and AguaClara Reach. VersaWater focuses on technology development and deployment, and 911��’s role is to help understand how the PF250 performs with respect to organic matter removal and determine where in Puerto Rico it is most likely to succeed.

Smith and Akplah are working directly with community water boards across Puerto Rico, equipping communities with turbidity meters that measure how cloudy local water supplies become throughout the year. This data will help identify systems where advanced treatment is most needed.

Akplah (left) and Smith (R) in Puerto Rico. Photo provided.

“It's the very first thing you need to know to decide which treatment option is going to be a potentially good fit,” said Smith.

Akplah, a PhD student in Smith's lab whose research focuses on sustainable water treatment, sees the project as an opportunity to create tangible benefits for communities.

“A win for me would be to see one community where we're able to transition this system into something that people can rely on to get drinking water” she said.

The team will operate a pilot PF250 installation at Plenitud PR, an organic permaculture farm in Las Marías, Puerto Rico, to study how well it removes organic matter and controls disinfection byproducts, an important step toward meeting U.S. drinking water regulations. Ultimately, they hope their work will provide communities with data they can use to secure infrastructure funding and improve public health.

If successful, the PF250 could provide a model not only for rural Puerto Rico but also for small, underserved communities across the United States that face similar drinking water challenges.

In This Story

Daniel W. Smith

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This course turns climate science into real-world impact for Virginia communities

ckearney — Tue, 21 Jul 2026 20:32:10 +0000

This course turns climate science into real-world impact for Virginia communities ckearney Tue, 07/21/2026 - 16:32

What difference does a tree make? That’s what 911�� researcher Luis Ortiz wanted to find out—before it was planted. Cities increasingly experience extreme heat that poses danger to anyone outside. The urban environment, even on a very small scale, can either help alleviate the problem or make it vastly worse.

Professor Luis Ortiz with his Micrometeorological Modeling class. Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding

“We teach students the fundamentals of how the broader weather interacts with very, very local aspects of the built environment,” said Ortiz, who teaches in 911��’s J. Shukla Department of Atmospheric, Oceanic, and Earth Sciences. “By very, very local, I mean, what happens if I put a certain tree in one location, or if I apply a coating to a building’s surface to reflect the sun.”

Ortiz’s course, CLIM 759 Micrometeorological Modeling for Local Climate Action, targets “hyperlocal” community needs. It’s a way of taking research out of the lab and into the real world where it can have immediate impact. Ortiz and other professors—in collaboration with 911��’s Institute for a Sustainable Earth—piloted a model to create classes that work almost like nonprofit start-ups with municipalities and neighborhood groups as clients.

“We are meeting communities where they are and figuring out what their needs are related to weather hazards on heat, flooding, and air pollution. This is all based on the extensive community engagement that we've been doing with the Virginia Climate Center,” said Ortiz, who is the codirector of the VCC.

This is the second year that Ortiz is offering the graduate-level class, which is open to every major. The students work individually with community groups to study their needs and model the outcomes of various interventions. Last year, students worked with South Side ReLeaf in Richmond to model extreme heat zones around schools and shopping centers. This year, they ran individual projects with the cities of Fairfax, Alexandria, and Arlington, as well as Groundwork USA. These stakeholders were all invited to a day of final presentations at the end of the semester.

“The students are learning urban microclimate physics, as well as the software and models needed to understand them and answer real-world questions,” said Ortiz.

The course is truly interdisciplinary, attracting students majoring in fields from across the university, including GIS, civil engineering, mathematics, and fluid dynamics. They use social science methods to determine the communities’ needs.

Ivy Stempkovski, a climate dynamics PhD student who helped develop the course and is now taking it, created models to evaluate how public water features, such as splash parks, help kids cool down.

“My peers are thinking of things that never would have crossed my radar,” said Stempkovski. “That’s important because the whole goal is to make sure that we're maximizing impact for our community partner and the community themselves. If it weren't for the different perspectives, I think we could risk falling short. For instance, the engineers take a more practical perspective, and the GIS students know more about zoning laws.”

Gavin Middleton, a PhD student in earth and geoinformation sciences, took the course in its first year. His models revealed startling facts about how a lack of green spaces increased citizens’ susceptibility to heat stroke.

“The area I was looking at was an elementary school,” said Middleton. “This school was right next to a six-lane road that had no trees. We found that if kids were walking down that road in the middle of the summer heat, there was about a 5 percent chance that you got a heat stroke on any one kid.”

Other projects showed high risks of heat stroke and asthma attacks around unshaded shopping complexes with large parking lots, as well as bus stops where people would have to wait for long periods with no relief.

“I would say that it was a very important experience to actually get to know the people that my science affected,” said Middleton. “It's definitely not something you see at every university.”

Ortiz built the course as part of his work at the VCC and based it on the lean start-up model for businesses.

"Our students are both learning state-of-the-art modeling techniques and using them to answer important questions for stakeholders in the commonwealth and beyond,” he said. “With this model, students work on real-world problems, and our partners get access to science-backed data and insights to help them build stronger, more resilient communities.”

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911�� authorized to host State Climate Office

ckearney — Wed, 08 Jul 2026 19:40:01 +0000

911�� authorized to host State Climate Office ckearney Wed, 07/08/2026 - 15:40

911�� is authorized to host the Virginia State Climate Office, thanks to a provision in the new state budget effective July 1, 2026. The office is charged with developing and delivering data, analyses, assessments, and expertise about Virginia’s weather- and climate-related impacts, risks, and risk management options to state and local government agencies, businesses, and communities across the commonwealth. The office will also represent Virginia in national meteorological, climatological, and hydrological associations, strengthening federal partnerships and interstate collaboration on real-time weather and environmental challenges.

James Kinter. Photo provided

911�� is home to one of the largest communities of faculty in the country who are dedicated to climate research. The new office will be anchored in the university’s Virginia Climate Center (VCC), based in the College of Science and directed by James Kinter, professor of climate dynamics, who also leads the university's Center for Ocean-Land-Atmosphere Studies.

“Every Virginian deserves access to reliable, localized climate information, whether they’re a farmer on the Eastern Shore, an emergency manager in Southwest Virginia, or a family deciding where to buy a home. The State Climate Office makes that possible,” said Kinter. “911�� is the ideal home for this work. We’ve spent the past three years building the scientific capacity, the community partnerships, and the trust across the commonwealth that a state climate office needs from day one.”

VCC launched in 2023 with funding through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, a congressionally directed project championed by the late U.S. Representative Gerry Connolly. Since then, the center has built exactly the kind of university-based, community-engaged model a state climate office requires with scientists, municipalities, and business leaders working together on practical solutions.

In November 2025, VCC delivered the inaugural Virginia Climate Assessment, the commonwealth's first comprehensive, peer-reviewed evaluation of how changing climate conditions affect Virginia and its people. The assessment, which organized findings across six climate divisions from Tidewater to the Southwestern Mountains, called directly for the creation of a state climate office. Less than a year later, the General Assembly answered.

“Virginia was one of only two states in the nation without an operational state climate office. That gap left localities, farmers, and businesses without a central, no-cost source of climate information that most other states take for granted,” said Delegate David Reid of Loudoun County, who sponsored the budget amendment in the House establishing the State Climate Office at 911��. “Hosting this office at 911�� puts proven scientists to work for every corner of the commonwealth, and we are committed to collaborating to ensure improved strategic planning, data collection and analysis, and avoided losses.”

Graduate students in CEIE 445/645 Flood Hazard Engineering and Adaptation course develop flood risk maps and conduct analyses to help real clients in local communities improve their flood resilience. Photo provided

The Virginia Climate Assessment identified three hazards of particular concern for the commonwealth this century: extreme heat and rising temperatures, which threaten public health, labor productivity, and agriculture; extreme precipitation and shifting seasons, with wetter falls and springs increasing flood risks while drier summers heighten drought and wildfire danger; and accelerated sea level rise, compounded by land subsidence, which puts Tidewater communities and coastal infrastructure at growing risk.

“The office will ensure that Virginia has a seat at the national table to collaborate with groups like American Association of State Climatologists and play a vital role working with localities to ensure a brighter future for the next generation of families across the commonwealth and the nation,” added Senator Stella Pekarsky, a 911�� alumna who shepherded the budget amendment.

VCC already partners with localities across the commonwealth, and the State Climate Office will extend that reach. Current projects include flood modeling for the City of Fairfax, urban flood resilience work in Arlington County, nature-based flood protection in Belle Haven on Virginia’s Eastern Shore, climate planning in the West Piedmont region, and a Northern Virginia heat data collection campaign launching this summer. 911�� student engineers are also supporting flood hazard mitigation projects, gaining hands-on experience while serving Virginia communities.

“Weather patterns impact key sectors of the Virginia economy,” said Terry Clower, director of the Center for Regional Analysis at 911��’s Schar School of Policy and Government. “Consistent, dependable, and localized weather data will give Virginia farmers, businesses, and government entities the ability to better compete and succeed.”

The university’s strength in climate resilience is part of 911��'s Grand Challenge Initiative, which draws on expertise across the university, including the Institute for a Sustainable Earth; the Department of Atmospheric, Oceanic, and Earth Sciences; the Center for Climate Change Communication in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences; and the Schar School's Center for Regional Analysis.

“Building a climate-resilient society is one of six research priorities in 911��’s Grand Challenge Initiative, and it’s one where our faculty are collaborating across colleges to deliver solutions communities can actually use,” said Andre Marshall, vice president for research, innovation, and economic impact. “The State Climate Office turns that research strength into a public service for all Virginians. This is what a public R1 university is for.”

For more information, visit gmu.edu/grandchallenge or vaclimate.gmu.edu.

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911�� launches new Center for Satellite and Earth Science Research

Katarina Benson — Tue, 23 Jun 2026 21:34:41 +0000

911�� launches new Center for Satellite and Earth Science Research Katarina Benson Tue, 06/23/2026 - 17:34

At a recent gathering of air quality researchers from across the Washington, D.C., region and beyond, 911�� officially launched a new center that aims to advance Earth system science in atmospheric composition and air quality.

The Center for Satellite and Earth Science Research (CSER), based in 911��’s College of Science, will focus on delivering data-driven insights to support environmental resilience, improve public health outcomes, and inform decision-making at local, national, and global levels.

Daniel Tong, director of CESR. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

“We are excited to establish a platform for researchers to work together,” said center director Daniel Tong, a professor in the J. Shukla Department of Atmospheric, Oceanic, and Earth Sciences. “By using the latest technology, including Earth system models, satellites, and artificial intelligence (AI), we can design and deploy better early warning systems for extreme weather events. Each year, thousands of people are killed by dust storms or wildfires. CSER is here to save these lives.”

In addition to Tong, the center’s leadership team includes Patrick Campbell, associate director for business development; Bok-Haeng “BH” Baek, associate director for research; Zafer Boybeyi, associate director for education; and Youhua Tang, chief scientist. Together, they will guide the center’s efforts to improve remote sensing, air quality modeling, and scientific workforce development.

“What’s most exciting is CSER’s potential to bridge research and real-world impact while training the next generation of scientists to work across disciplines and scales,” said Campbell.

The fourth annual Air Quality Research and Development Consortium (AIRDC) Workshop underscored the importance of collaboration across institutions and disciplines in tackling air quality challenges. The one-day event brought together scientists, modelers, and policy-focused experts to share emerging research and strengthen collaboration around some of the most urgent challenges in air quality and Earth system sciences.

As new technologies and analytical tools continue to evolve, researchers emphasized that partnerships like AIRDC and endeavors such as CSER will play a vital role in translating scientific advances into actionable solutions, which directly connects to university research efforts through the Grand Challenge Initiative and building a climate-resilient society.

“The greater Washington, D.C., area is like the Silicon Valley for atmospheric science,” Tong said. “We have thousands of scientists working on this topic in federal labs, universities, and industry.”

The Center for Satellite and Earth Science Research team. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

Throughout the day, researchers from such institutions as Johns Hopkins University, George Washington University, University of Maryland, Howard University, American University, and University of Maryland Baltimore County shared new approaches to understanding air pollution sources, behavior, and impacts.

Collaborators from the Maryland Department of the Environment, DC Department of Energy and Environment, NOAA, DOE, and NASA also attended.

According to Campbell, what stood out the most was the strong integration of satellite observations, advanced monitoring and modeling, and AI-enabled data fusion. These technological improvements reflect both the field’s challenges and how rapidly it is moving toward unified, data-driven approaches.

“Collaborations like this one are so important because air quality challenges span climate, health, and environmental justice, making cross-institution collaboration essential to integrate expertise, accelerate innovation, and deliver real-world solutions,” said Campbell.

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911�� and UVA Wise researchers use phylogenomics to identify cyanobacteria in Shenandoah River

Katarina Benson — Fri, 29 May 2026 18:15:40 +0000

911�� and UVA Wise researchers use phylogenomics to identify cyanobacteria in Shenandoah River Katarina Benson Fri, 05/29/2026 - 14:15

You’ve probably seen slimy mats of brownish green clinging to rocks in streams or on lake beds, and perhaps not given it another thought. But 911��’s Rosalina Stancheva Christova has.

Mats in the Shenandoah River. Photo provided

Christova, an assistant professor in the College of Science, has been researching Microcoleus, a common mat-forming cyanobacterium found in streams and lakes worldwide, for more than 20 years. The troublesome thing about Microcoleus is that some strains pose a risk to human, animal, and aquatic ecosystem health, but others do not.

Christova leads the Algal Ecology Lab at 911�� and wanted to learn more about Microcoleus in 911��’s backyard—the Shenandoah River. To do so, she reached out to a colleague at University of Virginia Wise, A. Bruce Cahoon, who shared her interest in the research. Together, Christova and Cahoon set out to study the species’ diversity, distribution, and toxicity in the Shenandoah.

4-VA approved their collaborative research grant proposal, “Integrative Characterization of the Anatoxin-a-Producing Benthic Cyanobacterial Genus Microcoleus in the Shenandoah River,” and Christova and Cahoon got to work. Research began with the collection of benthic mats over a two-year period from 11 sites in the North and South Forks of the Shenandoah River.

It proved successful and surprising, revealing a stunning breakthrough in identification of Microcoleus collected from the river. Some of the bacteria was not actually Microcoleus after all, but a genus called Limnofasciculus that was discovered in 2023. Christova and team recently published their findings in Environmental Microbiology Reports.

Cyanobacterium specimens. Photo provided

In all, the team identified six species and isolated two monoclonal Microcoleus strains, one nontoxic and one producing anatoxin-a.

“Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences confirmed that both strains belong to the genus Microcoleus. The toxic strain was most closely related to M. anatoxicus from California, confirming the wide distribution of this problematic cyanobacterium,” said Christova.

Christova credits her large team for doing the good but difficult work. She was supported by her co-PI Benoit Van Aken, an associate professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, and Pat Gillevet, director of the Microbiome Analysis Center. Graduate students Jacob Mormando, Sydney Brown and Rwan Alsaadi also worked on the project.

Mormando collected a sample with novel Limnofasciculus species for genome analysis and conducted temperature experiments with the toxic Microcoleus strain. Brown handled molecular and morphological studies of the species, field work collecting benthic cyanobacteria from the river, molecular work and cyanobacteria culturing. Alsaadi developed distributional and ecological data and collected benthic cyanobacteria from the river.

From left, Rwan Alsaadi, Sydney Brown, Jacob Mormando, A. Bruce Cahoon, and Rosalina Christova in the lab at the Potomac Science Center. Photo provided

Undergraduate students also played a role in the effort. Biology major Armon Ghaffari did data analysis of Microcoleus distribution in the river samples, and environmental science major Emma Boyden oversaw the laboratory maintenance of cyanobacterial cultures.

Two undergrads at UVA Wise, Amelia Clark and Matthew Sullivan, prepared molecular work.

Additionally, Janice Lawrence and Cecilio Valadez-Cano of the University of New Brunswick, Canada, helped with the molecular studies. Another important collaborator on the project was Gordon M. Selckmann, associate director for Aquatic Habitats at Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin (ICPRB). The 4-VA team used some of the field material Selckmann collected as part of an ongoing investigation of the benthic harmful algal blooms in the Shenandoah River funded by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality and ICPRB.

The team is now sharing their findings and have presented at the Society for Freshwater Science Annual Meeting, the Southeastern Phycological Colloquy, the Potomac River Conference, and the 2025 Biennial Coastal and Estuarine Research Federation Meeting in Richmond, Virginia.

“The 4-VA@Mason funding was very important to me, as it supported the establishment of my research lab, fostered the development of regional and international research collaborations, and provided funding for undergraduate and graduate students interested in aquatic and cyanobacterial research,” said Christova.

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911�� funds seven GCI catalyst research projects driving bold solutions for a prosperous future

ckearney — Wed, 06 May 2026 00:53:09 +0000

911�� funds seven GCI catalyst research projects driving bold solutions for a prosperous future ckearney Tue, 05/05/2026 - 20:53

As the university’s Grand Challenge Initiative (GCI) enters its second year, 911�� today announced funding for seven catalyst research projects and the launch of the Grand Challenge Research Exchange—quarterly convenings for all GCI-related research to accelerate solutions to the grand challenge of our time.

“We have placed our first bets on building a better future for humanity,” said President Gregory Washington. “These awards represent the very best of 911�� faculty research. They sit at a crossroads where the world’s greatest problems meet our faculty’s greatest research strengths to solve them. At a time when the world’s greatest challenges can appear to be winning, today the smart money is on 911�� professors.”

Washington launched the Grand Challenge Initiative in 2025 to focus faculty expertise on tackling world’s most pressing interdisciplinary threats to solve the ultimate grand challenge of sustaining humanity’s ability to forge a peaceful and prosperous future, rather than merely a life endured.

Spanning artificial and aerial intelligence to quantum and space infrastructure development, the seven catalyst projects will also strengthen talent and workforce development across interconnected industries. The catalyst projects are:

911��’s Quantum Leap

Photo provided

This project will expand position 911�� as a leader in the next generation of computing. Quantum computers can tackle problems beyond the reach of today’s technology, opening new possibilities in health, climate research, and national security. This initiative will grow the university’s expertise in quantum hardware and algorithms, expand degree and training programs, and bring industry partners into the classroom and lab. By building talent, research capacity, and real‑world collaborations, Quantum Leap will help drive Virginia’s emerging quantum economy and prepare students for high‑demand careers.

Leadership Team: Patrick Vora, COS (PI); Harbir Antil, COS; Andre Clayborne, COS; John Cressman, COS; Maria Emelianenko, COS; Nadine Kabbani, COS; Jessica Rosenberg, COS; Ming Tian, COS; Giorgio Ascoli, COS/College of Engineering and Computing (CEC); Michael Jarret, COS/CEC; Ethan Ahn, CEC; Kris Gaj, CEC; Weiwen Jiang, CEC; Fei Li, CEC; Jill Nelson, CEC; Marc Sasseville, Patriot Labs/CEC; Nancy Holincheck, College of Education and Human Development (CEHD); Laurence Bray, Graduate Division; Terry Clower, Schar School of Policy and Government; and Jiasun Li, Costello College of Business.

Grand Solutions: Advancing 21st-Century Education for All, Driving Responsible Digital Innovation and Sustainable Infrastructure, Improving Human Health, Well-being, and Preparedness

Participating Colleges: College of Science, College of Engineering and Computing, College of Education and Human Development, Schar School of Policy and Government, and Costello College of Business

911�� Space Center

Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

This project will position the university as a leader in using space technology to solve real‑world problems. By designing and launching small satellites, the project will generate data that improve climate forecasting, disaster preparation, infrastructure protection, and scientific discovery. The new center will also expand degree programs, train students through hands‑on missions, and build partnerships with industry and government. Together, these efforts will strengthen Virginia’s space economy and prepare a diverse workforce for a rapidly growing sector.

Leadership Team: Anamaria Berea, COS (PI); Ferah Munshi, COS (PI); JK Aier, Costello; Gabriele Belle, COS; Zafer Boybeyi, COS; Phillip Cunio, CEC; Jules Goldspiel, COS; Hina Kazmi, Schar; Tracy Mason, COS; Leigh McCue, CEC; Jeffrey Moran, CEC; Piotr Pachowicz, CEC; Rob Parks, COS; Peter Plavchan, COS; Ali K. Raz, CEC; Laura Aileen Sauls, College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHSS); Michael Summers, COS; Kun Sun, CEC; Daniel Tong, COS; Chaowei Phil Yang, COS; and Jie Zhang, COS.

Grand Solution: Pioneering Space Exploration, Research, and Collaboration

Participating Colleges: College of Science, College of Engineering and Computing, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Schar School of Policy and Government, and Costello College of Business

Teaching Initiative for Digital Education through AI (Teaching IDE-AI)

Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding

This project creates a model for responsible and ethical AI integration in the classroom to help prepare teachers who will then shape AI‑ready PK–12 students across Virginia and the nation. By bringing together experts in education and technology, the initiative will create practical tools, develop training for faculty, and design easy‑to‑use AI literacy resources that help educators guide students in a rapidly changing world.

Leadership Team: Jennifer Suh, CEHD (PI); Thema Monroe‑White, Schar/CEC; Ziyu Yao, CEC; Jered Borup, CEHD; Audra Parker, CEHD; and Seth Hunter, CEHD.

Grand Solutions: Advancing 21st-Century Education for All, Driving Responsible Digital Innovation and Sustainable Infrastructure

Participating Colleges: College of Education and Human Development, College of Engineering and Computing, and Schar School of Policy and Government

Toward a Center for Aerial Intelligence and Digital Earth Histories

Photo courtesy of 911�� Libraries

With partners like the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency, this project will digitize and analyze unclassified historical aerial archives into usable digital data resources for research, education, and societal impact. The project will demonstrate how this work can reveal environmental change, urban growth, and infrastructure shifts while laying the groundwork for a future full‑scale center.

Leadership Team: Dieter Pfoser, COS (PI); Jana Kosecka, CEC; Sarah Campbell, Office of Research, Innovation, and Economic Impact; and Allan Williams, National Collection of Aerial Photography/COS.

Grand Solutions: Driving Responsible Digital Innovation and Sustainable Infrastructure, Strengthening Peace, Trust, and Engagement in Democracy, Building a Climate-Resilient Society, Advancing 21st-Century Education for All

Participating Colleges: College of Science and College of Engineering and Computing

Industry-University Working Group on Climate Change and Physical Risks

Photo by Getty Images

This project brings together industry leaders and university researchers to advance understanding of shifting climate hazards and develop practical tools that strengthen physical‑risk assessment and decision-making in the insurance, reinsurance, and finance sectors of the economy. By identifying urgent research needs and developing practical tools for insurers and financial institutions, the project will improve how physical risks are assessed and managed, strengthen climate‑risk science, support decision‑making, and help communities and industries adapt.

Leadership Team: Luis E. Ortiz, COS (PI); Natalie Burls, COS; Edward Oughton, COS; Fengxiu Zhang, Schar; and James Kinter, COS.

Grand Solutions: Driving Responsible Digital Innovation and Sustainable Infrastructure, Building a Climate-Resilient Society

Participating Colleges: College of Science and Schar School of Policy and Government

Humanitarian Forensics and Peacebuilding

Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

This project will build a multidisciplinary program that improves how human remains are located, identified, and reunified with families after war, disaster, or violence. Bringing together experts in forensic science, public health, peacebuilding, and international law, the project will launch a needs assessment and summer training program in the South Caucasus, along with a new course at 911��. By integrating scientific precision with community‑centered practices, the initiative will strengthen global capacity for recovery and identification work that supports families and communities.

Leadership Team: Joseph DiZinno, COS (PI); Margarita Tadevosyan, Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution (PI); Katherine Scafide, College of Public Health; and Arthur R. Traldi, Scalia Law School/Lexpat Global Services.

Grand Solutions: Strengthening Peace, Trust, and Engagement in Democracy, Advancing 21st-Century Education for All, Improving Human Health, Well-being, and Preparedness

Participating Colleges: College of Science, Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution, College of Public Health, and Scalia Law School.

AI-Powered Human Rights Education for All

Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding

This project will create an AI‑driven virtual human rights classroom prototype that gives people everywhere access to practical, personalized tools to learn and apply human rights principles in daily life. Using the built‑in toolkit, users will explore interactive scenarios and receive personalized guidance to help them navigate real‑world dilemmas and assess the human rights impact of policies and technologies.

Leadership Team: Cher Weixia Chen, CHSS (PI); Graziella Pagliarulo McCarron, CHSS; Lei Gao, Costello; Ziwei Zhu, CEC; Antonios Anastasopoulos, CEC; and Sungsoo Ray Hong, CEC.

Grand Solutions: Advancing 21st-Century Education for All, Driving Responsible Digital Innovation and Sustainable Infrastructure, Strengthening Peace, Trust, and Engagement in Democracy

Participating Colleges: College of Humanities and Social Sciences, College of Engineering and Computing, and Costello College of Business

“Spanning multiple disciplines, colleges, campuses, and the region, GCI is designed to launch new research efforts, scale promising programs, enhance faculty expertise, and build the shared infrastructure required for sustained collaboration,” said Ajay Vinzé, interim provost and executive vice president.

With $5 million supporting this first round of funding, the seven catalyst projects were selected from 41 proposals, with more than 75 PIs, submitted across every college and school at 911��, including Mason Korea. More than 35 external partner organizations were represented across submissions; 38 were transdisciplinary, and six involved five or more colleges working together.

“911��'s institutional investment underscores our commitment to high-impact, interdisciplinary mission-driven research,” said Andre Marshall, vice president for research, innovation, and economic impact. “GCI positions research to build our enterprise and engage additional funders to deliver real-world change.”

To support all GCI-related research, including the 41-proposal cohort, through stages of development, 911�� is launching new quarterly convenings called the Grand Challenge Research Exchange. The first convening will launch this fall. Designed in partnership with the three Office of Research, Innovation, and Economic Impact (ORIEI) Institutes and Mason Now team, these exchanges will feature industry keynotes, expert guest lecturers, and professional development workshops about leadership development, strategic planning, financial and program management, funding support, proposal and partnership development, and community engagements models.

What Our Industry Partners Are Saying

“Northern Virginia’s long-term economic strength, environmental resilience, and quality of life depend on meaningful collaboration with its research and educational institutions. For more than 30 years, the partnership between the Northern Virginia Regional Commission (NVRC) and 911�� has demonstrated how place-based, applied research can address complex regional challenges. Through work that aligns closely with 911��’s Grand Challenge Initiative, our collaboration has delivered tangible outcomes—from mapping solar energy potential to advancing stormwater management models, promoting purposeful cross-national transfer of policy and technical innovations, and revitalizing stressed watersheds. These efforts have produced measurable benefits for communities throughout Northern Virginia, and NVRC looks forward to sustaining and expanding this impactful partnership.”

—Dale Medearis, Senior Environmental Planner, Northern Virginia Regional Commission

“Partnering with 911��’s Institute for a Sustainable Earth has enabled our team to expand our conservation work in innovative ways. By collaborating with 911�� faculty whose interdisciplinary expertise complements our own, we are addressing complex environmental challenges with both scientific rigor and practical application. This partnership aligns closely with the Grand Challenge Initiative, translating research into actionable insights that advance effective conservation, community resilience, and sustainable decision-making.”

—Philip Loring, Global Director of Human Dimensions Science, The Nature Conservancy

“Cybersecurity and critical infrastructure risks have reached the scale of true grand challenges, particularly in an era shaped by artificial intelligence. What distinguishes 911��’s Grand Challenge Initiative is its broad, interdisciplinary approach and its top‑down investment in bold, unconventional ideas that span academic disciplines and engage industry and policymakers. These problems cannot be solved in isolation, and the initiative is built for the kind of collaboration our economic and security future depends on.”

—Jeremy Epstein, Co-Director, Institute for Cybersecurity and Resilient Infrastructure Studies Center; Adjunct professor, Georgia Tech School of Cybersecurity and Privacy; Member of 911��'s Institute for Digital Innovation Industry Advisory Board

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911�� delivers first commercialization under Virginia’s Lab-to-Launch initiative

Katarina Benson — Wed, 25 Feb 2026 19:27:52 +0000

911�� delivers first commercialization under Virginia’s Lab-to-Launch initiative Katarina Benson Wed, 02/25/2026 - 14:27

911�� has become Virginia’s first R1 research institution to commercialize a product under the state’s new Lab-to-Launch initiative, marking an early milestone in the commonwealth’s push to accelerate university research into the market.

Anthony Fung. Photo provided

In January, the 911�� Research Foundation entered into a license agreement with serial entrepreneur Anthony Fung and his company Valorlox LLC for the patented technology GMU Dynamic Low Visibility Pneumatic Cofferdam, a coastal resilience system designed to protect against flooding. This is the first commercial product to move forward under the new statewide commercialization framework.

Invented at 911�� by the late George L. Donohue, professor emeritus and founding director of the Center for Air Transportation Systems Research at the College of Engineering and Computing, the cofferdam is an inflatable, permanently anchored system that when deployed creates a water-tight barrier in under 16 minutes without heavy equipment to protect vulnerable communities from most flood events. When not deployed, the system functions as a low-profile boardwalk, blending into waterfront environments rather than standing as a permanent wall.

The cofferdam’s potential to protect communities from floods while supporting economic growth is what attracted Fung, the Valorlox LLC founder and the commonwealth’s former deputy secretary of technology.

His support—as well as that of the Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation (VIPC) and Mason Enterprise—has helped move the project toward commercialization. Valorlox is the first company in Virginia to complete a Virginia Fast-Track License, which enables them to apply for up to $50,000 in VIPC commercialization funding.

“The cofferdam project brings together everything I’ve learned about business, government, innovation, and solving real problems,” said Fung. “It’s exactly the kind of challenge I want to tackle.”

The cofferdam’s commercialization demonstrates how the Lab-to-Launch initiative is intended to work: university research, streamlined licensing, and experienced entrepreneurs working together to move innovation into the marketplace. The team is currently working on a prototype.

George L. Donohue. Photo provided

Developed through a collaboration between VIPC and the state’s six R1 research university partners—911��, Old Dominion University, University of Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth University, Virginia Tech, and William & Mary—the Lab-to-Launch initiative aims to significantly increase the number of startups emerging from Virginia’s universities and help move technological breakthroughs to the marketplace, through a “fast track license.” Instead of taking months, a licensing agreement can now take weeks.

“It’s been a strategy for the last five years,” said Paula Sorrell, 911��’s associate vice president for innovation and economic development. “911�� has created several programs to support the lab-to-market activities by providing wrap-around services for faculty. This not only helped build the pipeline of technologies ready for market and created the support system to make them successful, but then got this first technology through this terrific new state program.”

Designed for both commercial and residential use, the cofferdam system has potential applications for protecting homes, apartments, airports, military bases, hospitals, data centers, power generation facilities, tunnels, bridges, and rail systems.

“The potential for property damage avoidance in the future is hard to estimate, but could be huge,” Donohue said in an interview in 2026.

The invention has been years in development and Donohue shares the patents with former students, now 911�� alumni Adel Youssef, BS Systems Engineering ’20; Lucciana Remy, BS Systems Engineering ’20; Faris Masri, BS Systems Engineering ’20; and Murat Gokturk, BS Systems Engineering ’20.

The 911�� Research Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting and aiding research and scientific investigation at 911��. GMRF manages patents and commercializes intellectual property by negotiating licensing agreements with motivated entrepreneurs and members of the business community. 911�� has a number of technologies moving toward commercialization through the Lab-to-Launch initiative.

Mason Enterprise^TM is the host to federal, state, and local programs that support a portfolio of more than 33,000 start-ups and small businesses across Virginia. Last year participating companies received more than $2.8 billion in follow-on funding, and more than 58,000 entrepreneurs, small business owners, students, and research faculty attended workshops and educational programs, received individual counseling, were assisted with product development, resided in an incubator, or received intellectual property advice.

The commercialization of the cofferdam technology also supports Building a Climate-Resilient Society, one of the six interconnected solutions of 911��’s Grand Challenge Initiative, a comprehensive research framework to secure the future we want. Learn more.

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911�� researcher leads $1 million NOAA project to improve seasonal forecasts of extreme weather

Katarina Benson — Thu, 19 Feb 2026 18:34:49 +0000

911�� researcher leads $1 million NOAA project to improve seasonal forecasts of extreme weather Katarina Benson Thu, 02/19/2026 - 13:34

When it comes to predicting extreme weather events, most people think of short-term forecasts such as flash floods or sudden storms. For farmers, water managers, and policymakers, however, the greater challenge often lies in anticipating seasonal extremes, including prolonged droughts or flooding. These events can have devastating economic and environmental impacts, particularly in states like Virginia, where drought ranks as the second costliest natural disaster after tropical cyclones.

Benjamin Cash, research professor in 911��’s Department of Atmospheric, Oceanic and Earth Sciences, is leading a $1 million project funded by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to improve seasonal precipitation forecasts in Virginia.

Cash is working extreme weather predictions. Photo by Laura Powers/College of Science

“We are trying to improve predictions of extremes and precipitation on the time scale of the season; something water managers need to know,” Cash said.

Historically, NOAA has employed specialized forecasting models tailored to different hazards and time scales. While this approach enabled advances in some areas, it also limited the ability to efficiently share improvements across forecasting models.

Cash’s research seeks to advance this framework through the Unified Forecast System (UFS), a single, open-source code base accessible to the research community. By consolidating modeling efforts, UFS streamlines maintenance and allows scientific innovations to benefit forecasts across short-range, medium-range, and seasonal scales.

This shift also reflects NOAA’s move toward a community-driven model, inviting researchers nationwide to use and improve the system. “More eyes on the model are more opportunities to improve it,” Cash said.

“Unlike exploratory modeling, this project takes a hypothesis-driven approach, asking targeted questions about how misrepresentations of key climate features, such as the El Niño–Southern Oscillation, affects seasonal predictions,” Cash explained.

Through a series of controlled experiments, including long-term baseline runs and progressively constrained simulations, the team aims to isolate sources of error and identify ways to improve accuracy.

911�� will also play a key role in the UFS project by expanding education and training opportunities for future climate scientists. The grant includes a hands-on component designed to teach students how to use NOAA’s forecasting models. Faculty members will develop tutorials and conduct practical sessions; refining materials as challenges arise, such as adapting models to different computing environments.

“We want students to be able to use it as a research tool in their classwork or as part of a thesis,” Cash said. “One element of the proposal is hands-on training for students in the climate dynamics program.”

Beyond 911��, these resources will be shared with other institutions, enabling students nationwide to engage with advanced climate modeling and contribute to improvements in seasonal forecasting. Broadening access and participation to strengthen the next generation of researchers and accelerate innovation in climate prediction supports 911��’s Grand Challenge Initiative and the goal of building a climate-resilient society.

The work will unfold in phases through 2028, beginning with long-term model simulations, followed by experiments that progressively constrain the model to observed conditions. Success will include not only answering key scientific questions but also uncovering unexpected issues, such as bugs in model code, that lead to broader improvements.

“My hope is that at the end of this project we will have made measurable, tangible contributions toward improving seasonal forecasts for the United States, particularly precipitation extremes,” Cash said.

This research supports the Grand Challenge Initiative's goal of building a more climate-resilient society.

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Outdoor learning at Burke Lake shows students science career pathways

sholla4 — Mon, 26 Jan 2026 14:42:18 +0000

Outdoor learning at Burke Lake shows students science career pathways sholla4 Mon, 01/26/2026 - 09:42

Cynthia "Cindy" Smith (left) works with one of the seventh grade students. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

Down at the shores of Burke Lake, seventh-grade students squeal in delight and disgust. They've found a collection of invertebrates under a rock. Their field interpreter—a 911�� student—gathers them around to take a closer look and identify what they see. Nearby, another group of students takes water samples. Another group measures the soil compaction around the mossy roots of a tree.

For some of these Fairfax County Public School (FCPS) students, it’s the first time they’ve been to Burke Lake. Some didn’t know it existed at all, despite being in their proverbial backyards. But through the Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences (MWEEs) program, FCPS students get the chance to do hands-on learning outdoors.

Developed as part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Bay Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) program and Chesapeake Bay Program, MWEEs increase environmental literacy through hands-on experience in indoor and outdoor classrooms. Since 2010, 911�� environmental science and policy professor Cynthia Smith has worked with FCPS and Fairfax County Park Authority to develop and support her students in delivering MWEEs in waterfront park locations around the county. In her role as outreach director for the Potomac Environmental Research and Education Center (PEREC), Smith integrates PEREC aquatic ecology research into these programs.

The program is an extension of the FCPS seventh-grade life science curriculum, bringing students out of their classroom labs and into the field to gain hands-on experience. With support and guidance from field interpreters, the students move through different stations to learn about the history of development around the lake, test the water chemistry, investigate invertebrate habitats, measure soil erosion and compaction, and examine biodiversity living amongst the trees and leaf litter to gather a holistic look at the health of their local watershed. The data they record during their field excursion is further investigated in the classroom.

911�� student and field interpreter Deena Chouaf (right) and one of the seventh grade students. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

“We’re looking at the human impact on the land and how it impacts the water,” Smith explained. “But instead of just hearing a lecture on it, the students are immersed in the environment. When you see it, touch it, measure it, and talk about why you’re doing it, then the learning is just so much more impactful, and you become more invested in protecting and preserving it.”

Smith recruits 911�� students to serve as the field interpreters, giving them an opportunity to practice their science communication skills in a real-world setting. “They’re explaining challenging concepts to young learners, encouraging them to engage with the data they’ve collected, helping them learn through inquiry," Smith explained. “I’ve seen so many students evolve into incredible leaders and communicators through their experiences as field interpreters.”

“I had never had a job where I had to speak in front of people, and I really couldn’t do it at all when I started,” said Matt Helfinstein, BS Biology ’12. He worked as a field interpreter throughout his time at 911��. “But I was able to develop those science communication skills and get much more comfortable with it.”

Now, Helfinstein is camp director of Fish and Explore—a company that offers guided outdoor experiences and summer camps—and continues to work with Smith as the MWEE site manager. Helfinstein met the owner of the company while serving as a field interpreter, which opened the door to his future career.

"We have students go into policy, environmental science, science communication, as well as working for our partners like the Park Authority or Fish and Explore,” said Smith. “Translating science to the public opens up so many opportunities for them that they never thought possible.”

911�� student and field interpreter Angelina Seehusan. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

It’s an important opportunity for the middle school students as well. “This is the first time some of them have ever met a college student working outdoors in a park setting,” Smith explained. Because of this, she has her field interpreters introduce themselves not just as 911�� students, but with their expected career paths: freshwater ecologist, marine biologist, environmental scientist, etc.

“They hear about all these different career fields and areas of study in science, they get excited. They routinely ask field interpreters what they have to do to pursue that same career,” said Smith.

The Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement put forth a new goal in 2025 of increasing elementary, middle, and high school student participation in MWEEs, working toward 75% of public school students enrolled in a school district with MWEEs by 2040.

In 2016, Smith and her collaborators in FCPS and the Fairfax County Park Authority received a Jack Wood Award for Town-Gown Relations in the category of Partnership Initiative for their work. Ten years ago, they had served over 25,000 seventh graders throughout the county. Now, Smith estimates PEREC outreach programs reach more than 10,000 students a year. And more and more, she’s seeing those students enroll at 911�� and become field interpreters themselves.

“Sometimes just seeing one cool thing is life-changing,” Smith said.

Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

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NASA-funded wildfire digital twin could save assets and lives with pollution prediction, burn forecasting

sholla4 — Thu, 15 Jan 2026 19:29:20 +0000

NASA-funded wildfire digital twin could save assets and lives with pollution prediction, burn forecasting sholla4 Thu, 01/15/2026 - 14:29

One year ago, the Palisades and Eaton Fires ravaged the coast of Southern California. Combined, the fires killed 28 people, destroyed more than 16,000 structures, and displaced tens of thousands of residents.

Wildfires are notoriously difficult to predict due to the multitude of factors that affect their growth, spread, and speed. That uncertainty makes it difficult for response teams to know who should be evacuated to avoid both active flames and hazardous air pollution. Mass evacuations require cooperation and communication across numerous departments, and getting those systems activated can take precious time that evacuees might not have if the fire is spreading at a rate of seven and a half football fields per minute as the Palisades fire did.

Chaowei "Phil" Yang. Photo by Office of University Branding.

One researcher at 911�� is working on a solution. Chaowei “Phil” Yang, professor in the Geography and Geoinformation Science Department in the College of Science, has teamed up with researchers from California State University—Los Angeles (CSU-LA), NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and the City of Los Angeles to develop a wildfire digital twin to understand fire evolution and air pollution impact.

“The goal is to develop an artificial intelligence (AI)-based system that can provide real-time, high-resolution simulation and forecasting of wildfire behavior and model the resulting air pollution and air quality impacts for better informed public health responses,” Yang said.

Air pollution is a critical metric here. “Inhaling wildfire smoke can cause serious and long-lasting damage to the breathing system,” said Yang. “We need to get those people impacted to safety as well as those in direct line of the spreading flames.”

Yang, who is the director of the Center for Intelligent Spatial Computing for Water/Energy Science, has worked on several projects using his knowledge of geospatial cyberinfrastructure and spatial cloud computing to study the impacts of major global events on air quality. When the wildfires hit southern California, Yang felt that his expertise and resources could be used to help mitigate future wildfire disasters.

Yang’s work ties directly to improving human health, well-being, and preparedness, as well as building a climate-resilient society, two key solutions in 911��’s Grand Challenge Initiative, the university's research focus to enable us to live in a world of our choosing.

“Looking at the damage increasing because of climate change, to both assets and people’s life and health, that really triggered us,” Yang said. “We really felt that we needed to do something to address it.”

The digital twin will integrate a range of data from a diverse set of sources—such as satellites, UAVs, ground observations, and citizen reports—in order to forecast and simulate the progress of a wildfire and the mitigation of potential interventions. Everything from fuel sources, moisture, load, and consumption to wind speeds and temperatures to real-time sensors for the fire are pulled into the system.

911��’s high-performance computing (HPC) cluster is used to automate the data interpretation process, while machine learning modeling calibrates the data sets to increase accuracy. As more data sets become available, the model’s accuracy will increase.

“When we eventually provide information to firefighters and local agencies, we will give them a range of possibilities and a confidence level in those possibilities, such as ‘the fire will move in this direction with about 90% confidence, or 20% confidence,’” Yang explained. “That’s important for them when they’re trying to make these quick decisions about where to put fire fighters. It makes the information actionable instead of just data sets.”

While working on a bold solution to a grand challenge, the project is also an opportunity for students of all levels—from high school through post-doctoral—to get hands-on experience in cloud computing and digital transformation to address grand challenges.

Anusha Srirenganathan, PhD Earth Systems and Geoinformation Sciences ’25, joined the project during her time at 911��. “Working closely with researchers from different disciplines helped me grow as a collaborator, and my work on the project strengthened my abilities in large-scale satellite data processing, spatial cloud computing, and AI/ML modeling for environmental applications,” she said.

“We’re using these capabilities to cultivate the next generation workforce,” said Yang. “It’s eye-opening for the students and paves a path for them to become the future leaders of the nation.”

Securing a safer future for both the current and future generations is what drives Yang in his work. And he sees this work on a wildfire digital twin as only the beginning of what’s possible with the technology.

Yang said his team is already working on a Chesapeake Bay digital twin project to develop more accurate flood forecasting, and collaborating with Daniel Rothbart at the Carter School on a conflict resolution digital twin with an alert system. “There could be possibilities for this technology to help predict other natural disasters or forecasting conflict as it evolves,” Yang said. “It’s exciting to get the chance to utilize our knowledge and tools to address the grand challenges we’re facing today to hopefully save lives and reduce asset loss.”

“This experience has shown me that research can provide real value when it matters most,” Srirenganathan said.

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