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As the number one public university in Virginia and a top 10 U.S. university for innovation, George Mason is at the forefront of innovation and discovery to meet the toughest challenges and creating opportunities yet to be imagined.
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George Mason is the state’s largest public research university,Ìýdoubling its research expenditures over the last five years, totaling $262 million in 2024.Ìý
Holding an R1 designation from the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, George Mason’sÌýresearch goes beyond the desire to know—it expands our understanding, knowledge, shares data and expertise with communities enabling local response, and builds the infrastructure to improve lab-to-market.

According to multiple EduRank rankings,ÌýÌýÌý
George Mason’s research is best in Virginia.
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George Mason established three institutes to develop operational efficiencies and cross-discipline collaborations around funding, proposal design, and partnerships to advance nascent innovations and develop new ideas from experiment to enterprise, faster.

Potomac Science Center
TheÌýÌý(ISE) conducts integrativeÌýresearch that bridges disciplinary gaps to realize innovative advances in an era of rapid global change.Ìý
- Ä¢¹½AV Story:ÌýGeorge Mason earns solid gold in sustainabilityÌý

Institute for Biohealth Innovation
TheÌýÌý(IBI) pioneers advancements in health care, pushing the boundaries of medical research to enhance human well-being.
- Ä¢¹½AV Story:ÌýNanofabrication Facility will help drive innovation

Mason Autonomy and Robotics Center (MARC)Ìý
The Ìý(IDIA) is revolutionizing technology and advancing its applications, shaping the future of digital landscapes.
Artificial Intelligence
George Mason Ä¢¹½AV’s Vice President and inaugural Chief AI Officer and the university AI Task Force have set a in motion for a responsible approach to harnessing artificial intelligence across operations, academics and training, and research. As a model for other universities, George Mason is building a nexus of collaboration and resources on campus, throughout the region with our vast partnerships, and across the state, called AI2Nexus, preparing the future workforce and accelerating innovation.ÌýÌý
George Mason was also the first to offer a . LAST Fall 2024, George Mason created a new Responsible Artificial Intelligence Graduate Certificate program.Ìý
New guidelines on the use of AI at George Mason are designed to encourage the creative and innovative exploration and use of AI tools while maintaining the university’s commitment to safety, security, academic integrity, and ethical conduct.ÌýÌý

FUSE at Mason Square celebrated its commercial opening Fall 2024 and will welcome students in Fall 2025. Ìý
Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of Ä¢¹½AV Branding.
National Security and Defense
Growing threats from sophisticated cyberattacks, complex disinformation operations, and efforts to damage the economy—law and policy experts, researchers and scientists at George Mason Ä¢¹½AV are regularly engaged with U.S. government agencies, business and think tanks to advance next-generation capabilities and readiness to ensure the country’s safety.
George Mason is a key partner in theÌýÌý(CCI), Virginia’s engine for collaborative research, workforce development, and innovation at the intersection between cybersecurity, autonomous systems, and intelligence.ÌýLiza Durant, George Mason’s associate provostÌýfor strategic initiatives and associate dean at the College of Engineering and Computing, is the director of the CCI’s Northern Virginia Node.Ìý
According to the World Economic Forum, cyber insecurity remains one of the top 10 global risks over the next 10 years.ÌýLed by Founder and Executive Director Jamille Jaffer, theÌýÌýat Antonin Scalia Law School is the premier hub of national security thought leadership and policy solutions in the nation’s capital, educating future leaders, informing policy and dialogue, providing practical solutions, and free security support to under-resourced organizations.ÌýJaffer shared his view on current and future global threats on President Washington’s Access to Excellence podcast:Ìý.
The university is committed to growing a strong, diverse cybersecurity workforce—from critical infrastructure to small businesses and schools.ÌýSarah Campbell, George Mason’s new associate vice president of research for defense and security initiatives, will collaborate across the university to expand applied research and funding sources to support defense and security programs.

Mason President Gregory Washington interviews Jamil Jaffer for an Access to Excellence podcast episode. Photo by Cristian Torres/Office of Ä¢¹½AV Branding
Students, faculty, and partners are learning and discovering in colleges, in cutting-edge labs, and in facilities across the region.