Laura Powers

In George Mason University’s College of Science—where nearly 16% of students are connected to the military—Air Force veteran Rylee Ledoux is using her public health experience and passion for the environment to support fellow veterans and pursue a future in environmental science. A former Air Force public health technician, she now serves as the senior military transition coordinator in Mason’s Office of Military Services while completing her bachelor of science in environmental science and policy.

Through an NSF-funded Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program, 10 students from around the country will take part in field-based conservation projects at Smithsonian-Mason School of Conservation in Front Royal, Virginia, in the summer of 2026.

This summer, George Mason University hosted the Pathways to Quantum Immersion Program, preparing high school students for careers in the rapidly emerging field of quantum science.

As a doctoral student at George Mason University, Jordan Sims has spent the past several years immersed, literally and figuratively, in the underwater ecosystems of Honduras, where her research is helping solve real-world challenges in coral reef conservation.

George Mason University researcher Anamaria Berea was selected to serve on NASA's Decadal Astrobiology Research and Exploration Strategy (DARES) Task Force 1.

In spring 2025, students in EVPP 480 Sustainability in Action gave a crucial boost to Chesapeake Bay oysters by constructing oyster reef balls where the bivalves can attach, grow, and develop into natural reef structures.

This December, Professor Robert Sachs of the Department of Mathematical Sciences received the Dean’s Career Achievement Recognition in honor of his extraordinary contributions to George Mason University and the broader academic community. A distinguished educator, researcher, and mentor, Sachs will retire this year, leaving behind a legacy of innovation, leadership, and impact.

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

For the past few weeks, these George Mason students developed policy memos based on various socioeconomic and environmental issues facing Northern Virginia and together worked in groups to develop recommendations for addressing them. But now their audience is far more formidable: Virginia State Senator Stella Pekarsky.

George Mason University researcher Alireza Ermagun has been awarded a $1.8 million grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to address mobility challenges caused by nuisance flooding.