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911���� 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.

911���� alumna Ashley Fortner, BS Integrative Studies ’17, is the caretaker of the new baby elephant Linh Mai at the National Zoo.

For Northern Virginia native Ryan McIntyre, the path to a master’s in environmental science and policy at 911���� began with something simple: a love for the outdoors and a family connection.

With funding from 4-VA, 911���� rsearcher Haw Chuan Lim and his team developed a novel genotyping panel for powerful and cost-effective evaluations of population structure and kinship in the critically endangered mountain bongo.

On a recent field trip to Patuxent River Park in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, undergraduate students from 911����’s Smithsonian-Mason School of Conservation got to view secretive marsh birds up close, including Virginia and sora rail birds.

James W. “Jimmy” Hazel, JD ’84, has led a life of service to the Commonwealth of Virginia—and to 911����. He recently added to his considerable legacy with a gift of $1 million for the Smithsonian-Mason School of Conservation.

What's one thing that all of these 911���� students are wearing when handling salamanders? Well-fitted, sterile, hypoallergenic, slightly moistened gloves. These students participated in the Smithsonian-Mason School of Conservation’s two-week course CONS 440/540 Field Skills in Ecology course.

Summer goes by fast—whether you’re a kid, or a kid at heart. The K-12 students who attended camps and youth programs at Mason this year filled those fleeting summer days with memories. Here are some snapshots from their summer to remember. 

All year long, photographers in 911����’s Office of University Branding capture the moments that make Mason All Together Different. We asked our photographers to share their favorite photos from the 2022-23 school year.

The Marvel universe isn't the only place where insects and other invertebrates have superpowers. Mason faculty, staff, and students are studying and explaining the many roles these creatures play on our planet, learning more about a bug's life—and the big world surrounding them—every step of the way. This edition of Around Mason offers a recap of some of those stories.