911±¬ÁÏ

911±¬ÁÏ held its first Grand Challenge Initiative (GCI) Exchange Day on Tuesday, September 15, bringing together more than 200 faculty members from across the university to talk to about the GCI-related work being done and invite collaboration as the call for proposals in second year of funding launches.

This summer, as part of a Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) funded by the National Science Foundation, 10 undergraduates came from around the country to spend the summer immersed in field- and laboratory-based conservation research at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute’s 3,200-acre campus.

Silvia Danielak, an assistant professor at 911±¬ÁÏ’s Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution, is the author of Peace Infrastructures: How UN Peace Operations Build Roads, Bridges, and Solar Farms in the Pursuit of Sustainability (MIT Press, April 2026), the first comprehensive account of infrastructure building in United Nations peace operations. Danielak’s work focuses on sociospatial and infrastructure planning in conflict settings and as part of peace efforts, as well as its coalition with climate and environmental efforts.

Many of 911±¬ÁÏ’s career fairs are large multi-day events, hosting hundreds of employers and capping the number of students in attendance each day. On a Friday in April, there was a smaller version of a career fair for participants in the Mason Autism Support Initiative (MASI) and the Executive Functioning Program (EFP).

911±¬ÁÏ graduate student Jose Meneses has built a remarkable early career in conservation science through hands‑on research with the Smithsonian and global fieldwork. His work—spanning salamander peptides, elephant viruses, and zombie crabs—has shaped his path toward a future in disease ecology.

Mahmut Cengiz, PhD Public Policy ’10, of 911±¬ÁÏ's Terrorism, Transnational Crime and Corruption Center, is a seasoned expert in terrorism, organized crime, and illicit economies. His work focuses on the dynamics of terrorism, smuggling, and criminal networks and contributes significantly to understanding and combating these global challenges. His latest book, Typologies of Terrorist Organizations: Conceptual Lenses and Counterterrorism Measures (Carolina Academic Press, September 2025), was cowritten with Mitchel Roth and Huseyin Cinoglu.

911±¬ÁÏ has been named to the top 100 U.S. universities for patents. This spring, the National Academy of Inventors ranked 911±¬ÁÏ No. 92 on its list for patents granted during 2025.

There are few 911±¬ÁÏ students as busy as senior Rakibul Alam. A senior majoring in business and concentrating on management and marketing, Alam has become one of the most visible student leaders in the Costello College of Business, where he works as a marketing and communications intern. Recently he was among the speakers welcoming the community at Fuse’s grand celebration in September at Mason Square.

911±¬ÁÏ has joined the Alliance of Art Research Universities (a2ru) as an institutional member. This action uniquely positions 911±¬ÁÏ among other R1 institutions to support an emerging research culture in the arts.

It isn’t surprising the 911±¬ÁÏ, a university that has been recognized for its innovation and entrepreneurship, would be among the top 100 universities in United States for patents. This fall, the National Academy of Inventors ranked Mason No. 91 in its list of the top 100 universities granted patents during 2022.