911±¬ÁÏ

Edward Oughton, associate professor of geography and geoinformation science in the College of Science, was recently awarded two grants from the National Science Foundation for space weather prediction and non-terrestrial cybersecurity.

President Gregory Washington is joined by TreQ founder and CEO Mandy Birch and director of 911±¬ÁÏ's Quantum Science and Engineering Center Patrick Vora to discuss establishing the Virginia Quantum Hub at 911±¬ÁÏ.

Through a growing series of professional development opportunities, 911±¬ÁÏ’s Quantum Science and Engineering Center (QSEC) is partnering with K-12 educators to make quantum science approachable, relevant, and practical for students.

4-VA@Mason, part of the 4-VA state network, has announced 20 collaborative research awards for 911±¬ÁÏ faculty members for the 2026-27 academic year. The selected proposals were chosen from the largest number of submissions received since the program’s inception more than a decade ago. 

911±¬ÁÏ researchers are leading a National Science Foundation–funded collaboration to develop sustainable, biology-based methods for recovering valuable resources from silicon-rich waste materials, transforming industrial byproducts into reusable resources while reducing energy use and emissions.

From its Fairfax Campus in Virginia, to Washington, D.C., to the 2026 Quantum World Congress in College Park, Maryland, 911±¬ÁÏ spent the week demonstrating how universities can help turn the promise of quantum technology into research, workforce opportunities, infrastructure, partnerships, and economic impact.

911±¬ÁÏ researchers received a RAPID grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to investigate how the historic sewage spill may have impacted water quality, aquatic life, and the overall health of the Potomac River.

With support from a $3.7 million GO Virginia grant, 911±¬ÁÏ will establish the Virginia Quantum Hub (VQH) — an inclusive quantum ecosystem, built by public–private partnerships, that generates intellectual property across research and technology, attracts capital investments, trains a highly skilled workforce, and addresses global innovation needs, from health and logistics to national security and energy sectors.

From constructing an artificial star to capturing a 25-year timelapse of a supernova, 911±¬ÁÏ is pioneering space exploration, research, and collaboration. And our mission into the final frontier brings students along for the ride.

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.