CEIE Success Stories

George Mason University Engineers for International Development (EfID) improves water access in underserved communities abroad. Advised by Adjunct Professor Matthew Doyle, EfID students manage their own projects, secure funding through competitions, and build connections with industry professionals to make a meaningful impact worldwide. 

With a new $3.69 million grant, the Research and Engagement for Action in Climate and Health (REACH) Center—which includes George Mason—is set to tackle the urgent intersection of climate change and public health in the nation’s capital.

Mason scientists and partners will leverage their climate expertise and the university’s resources into broader societal implications, thanks to a $6 million grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF).

Emissions from coal-fired power plants, though steeply on the decline, are more than twice as likely to lead to mortality as other air pollutants.

Certain types of mushrooms—or fungi—may have a place in infrastructure, potentially saving costly repairs and time. Xijin “Emma” Zhang, assistant professor in civil engineering, is researching this relatively new area of engineering and other green technology solutions for common challenges.

Americans generally assume tap water is safe to drink; but rising temperatures could prove them wrong. Kirin Emlet Furst received a grant to study how extreme heat is challenging the disinfection of water in underground distribution systems.

The National Science Foundation's Navigating the New Arctic researchers traveled to a remote location to attend the Permafrost and Infrastructure Symposium in Utqiaġvik, Alaska, some 320 miles north of the Arctic Circle.

Celso Ferreira in George Mason University's College of Engineering and Computing is studying the impact of climate change on jobs in the Chesapeake Bay region.

Kirin Furst believes a systems approach is the best way to solve the world’s safe water problems. Her research lab is primarily focused on removing organic contaminants in drinking water systems and potable reuse systems.