Electrical and Computer Engineering

EagleBank Arena buzzed with high-tech aerial excitement on August 15 as George Mason University hosted the culmination of the 2nd Annual Airborne Robotics Cup, a STEM outreach competition culminating in an intense 12-hour tournament featuring dynamic, lighter-than-air autonomous blimp “soccer” matches.

Two George Mason faculty members are developing new approaches to protect AI data centers from threats ranging from insiders stealing valuable AI models to cyberattacks against the systems controlling a facility’s power and cooling.  

Students recently presented over 20 projects at the MIX (Mason Innovation Exchange), highlighting applied engineering, fabrication skills, and collaborative teamwork. The projects utilized 3D printers, electronic components, sensors, and mixed media design thinking to bring their embedded systems to life.

Maryam Parsa received a five-year, $655,000 National Science Foundation CAREER Award to develop a new framework for brain-inspired AI.

George Mason alum Justin Hagen leveraged early research opportunities, the BAM program, and the university’s proximity to Washington, D.C., to launch a career at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, all while accelerating his path to a master’s degree.

George Mason University faculty member, Ningshi Yao, received a $750k grant from the Office of Naval Research (ONR) to establish a hands-on mechatronics training program aimed at building the next generation of high-tech engineering technologists.

Two multidisciplinary senior design teams in the College of Engineering and Computing are taking on major health‑related challenges, showcasing how engineering students are applying research, innovation, and collaboration to improve health outcomes.

George Mason researchers are leading a Department of Energy–funded project to make AI more energy-efficient and private by using brain-inspired computing and novel spintronic devices.

Teams in an electrical and computer engineering senior design class presented a variety of projects to peers to wrap up their semester.

A team of George Mason University students joined with students from the University of Florida to take first prize at Hack@DAC 2025 in San Francisco.