College of Engineering and Computing at George Mason University

09/01/2026

Under the leadership of Electrical and Computer Engineering Assistant Professor Ningshi Yao, local middle and high school students designed, built, and competed with autonomous ground vehicles and robotic blimps in hands-on engineering challenges at George Mason University. From robotics and AI to communications and aerodynamics, students gained real-world experience while developing the skills of tomorrow's innovators.

https://www.gmu.edu/news/2026-08/young-engineers-compete-building-ground-and

08/31/2026

New research from CEC faculty member Pouya Rezai is advancing the future of pathogen detection. Supported by a $450,000 National Science Foundation grant, Rezai and collaborators are developing innovative superabsorbent polymers that can selectively capture and release harmful pathogens in water, food, and medical environments. By combining materials science, fluid dynamics, and explainable AI, this work could improve how we monitor and respond to biological threats.

Clean water, safe food and rapid biological threat detection are often treated as separate challenges, but a new research project at George Mason University is attempting to address them through a

08/28/2026

Check out In the Abstract, a new research podcast from George Mason University's College of Engineering and Computing.

Episode 1: When Your Smartwatch Becomes a Witness ft. Umit Karabiyik
Episode 2: Tech Keeping Culture Alive ft. Zhicong Lu
Episode 3: The AI Making Flights Safer ft. Shahab Aref

Abstract ideas. Concrete impact. New episodes weekly.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FR89lD3P41U&list=PLFrpgm7y3ctI

08/25/2026

George Mason University - College of Engineering and Computing student Jared Traggic and his comedy group Not Quite Laughs are offering a FREE show this Thursday (Aug 27) in Fairfax! Go check it out at https://mackenziesffx.com/

Tix:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/not-quite-laughs-comedy-night-registration-1994631837520

Story:
https://cec.gmu.edu/news/2026-08/george-mason-student-brings-stand-comedy-closer-campus

Not Quite Laughs, a comedy group founded by a George Mason student, is hosting a free comedy show on Thursday, August 27th, at Mackenzie’s Tunes and Tonics in Fairfax.

08/19/2026

George Mason's Prepared-NoVA Emergency Preparedness Workshop convened stakeholders on July 16 in Fuse to identify challenges facing Northern Virginia’s first responders.

https://cec.gmu.edu/news/2026-07/george-mason-bolsters-nova-emergency-preparedness-network

08/19/2026

Three George Mason faculty members were elected to the Virginia Academy of Science, Engineering, and Medicine. Congratulations, Siddhartha Sikdar of the College of Engineering and Computing, Liping Di of the College of Science, and Dean Melissa J. Perry of the College of Public Health!

The 2026 elected class includes individuals from the George Mason University: Liping Di of the College of Science, Dean Melissa J. Perry of the College of Public Health, and Siddhartha Sikdar of the College of Engineering and Computing.

08/17/2026

Giorgio Ascoli is the first George Mason recipient of the Javits Award, reserved for a small number of exceptionally highly rated research proposals, awarded by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke at NIH.

Giorgio Ascoli is the first George Mason recipient of the Javits Award, reserved for a small number of exceptionally highly rated research proposals, awarded by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke at NIH.

08/14/2026

George Mason University's College of Engineering and Computing was well represented at the American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference in in June, where faculty and staff presented papers and talks, won awards, staffed a booth in an expansive exhibit hall, and were elected to ASEE leadership positions.

CEC was well represented at the American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference in in June, where faculty and staff presented papers and talks, won awards, staffed a booth in an expansive exhibit hall, and were elected to ASEE leadership positions.

08/13/2026

💚💛COMMUNITY EVENT💚💛
How do we ensure AI is safe, responsible and human-centered? 🤔

George Mason’s Missy Cummings dives into that pressing issue in the September Pub Scholars presentation. Cummings is a nationally recognized expert on autonomous systems, AI safety and human-machine collaboration. She is a professor and director of George Mason’s Responsible AI program. 🤖

Don’t miss this opportunity to engage a George Mason expert around one of today’s most important topics. 🔗: https://tinyurl.com/mv8jze37

College of Engineering and Computing at George Mason University
Fairfax City Economic Development
Old Town Fairfax Business Association - OTFBA
Central Fairfax Chamber of Commerce

08/12/2026

Computer Science Assistant Professor Ziyu Yao received an NSF CAREER award for $674,100 to peel the layers back on AI, developing new methods for understanding the internal mechanisms of LLMs.

https://cec.gmu.edu/news/2026-07/nsf-career-award-allows-researcher-look-under-ais-hood