Five Ways George Mason University is Doing Tech Innovation Right

On Tuesday, April 23, I’m participating in a fireside chat with George Mason University (GMU) President ángel Cabrera about the future of innovation. I welcome you to join us. We’ll talk about CTA’s new book Ninja Future, and how technology can be incorporated in unique and cutting-edge ways in education.

GMU is Virginia’s newest but largest university, as measured by number of students. I had the privilege of sitting on its governing board some 20 years ago, and I have enjoyed watching its national reputation grow. It has wisely tapped the incredible and unique expertise in the Washington, D.C., region to make a name for itself in so many areas.

In one arena, it has become a true leader – technology. Here are five ways GMU is incorporating tech and innovative concepts into academic and campus life:

1. The school helped secure Amazon’s HQ2 for Arlington, Virginia. GMU was part of the collaborative effort that crafted the local Amazon HQ2 proposal, and their ADVANCE partnership with Northern Virginia Community College will help develop the talent pipeline needed for the new Amazon headquarters.

A $250 million expansion of GMU’s Arlington campus over the next five years should grow the number of students in computing programs from 6,500 to 15,000 and increase the highly-skilled graduates available to Amazon and other regional employers. GMU is creating the 400,000-square-foot Institute for Digital InnovAtion (IDIA), which will house GMU’s research and graduate education programs and bring together public and private sector partners to advance research and produce high-tech talent.

2.   The school’s cyber security programs are nationally ranked, affordable and established. GMU received a spot in Cyber Degrees’ Top Cyber Security Schools of 2019, ranking 11th in the country. It was also named one of the most affordable cyber security schools by Value Colleges.

The school’s Center for Secure Information Systems, launched in 1990, was the first academic center in security at a U.S. university. It has alliances with the National Security Agency (NSA), Northrop Grumman and other national defense organizations. GMU also claims the first student-run cybersecurity organization in the country and hosts summer camps for children and high schoolers interested in STEM fields. 

3.   GMU’s School of Business teaches students entrepreneurial skills. Students with an interest in creating a new venture are learning skills needed to create a business plan and build networks and professional portfolios. GMU also offers several co-curricular entrepreneurship programs, such as the Mason Summer Entrepreneurship Accelerator, an eight-week lean startup program offered to Mason’s most promising student-led startup teams.

4.   Robots deliver food to students on campus. The university is the first in the United States to incorporate robots into its student dining plan. Students place an order through an app for any restaurant that is part of the program, and their food is delivered within 30 minutes from one of a fleet of robots equipped with nine cameras and ultrasonic sensors to navigate its surroundings.

5.   GMU invests in top-notch faculty. With more than 1,400 full-time faculty, GMU exposes its students to some of our country’s leading researchers and thinkers. To name a few: Pulitzer-prize winning columnist Steven Pearlstein is a Professor of Public Affairs at the university; Professor Kevin Clark was honored by the White House as a Champion of Change in 2014; and GMU economist Tyler Cowen recently released Big Business: A Love Letter to An American Anti-Hero, which highlights the essential role corporations play in a balanced, productive and progressive society. 

I hope you’ll join us on April 23! All attendees will receive a copy of Ninja Future: Secrets to Success in the New World of Innovation.