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From the Situation Room to Netflix: Schar School’s Larry Pfeiffer Goes Hollywood

Andrew J Schappert — Mon, 20 Oct 2025 14:21:06 +0000

From the Situation Room to Netflix: Schar School’s Larry Pfeiffer Goes Hollywood Andrew J Schappert Mon, 10/20/2025 - 10:21

If the acting and dialogue in the White House Situation Room during the new Netflix movie A House of Dynamite seem authentic, you can thank the Schar School of Policy and Government. Specifically, Larry Pfeiffer, executive director of the Schar School’s Michael V. Hayden Center for Intelligence, Policy, and International Security at �鶹��Ƶ.

Jason Clarke, left, and Rebecca Ferguson were counseled by Larry Pfeiffer on how the White House Situation Room operates during a crisis.

In another life, for two years, Pfeiffer actually was the senior director of President Obama’s “SitRoom.”

Pfeiffer, the former chief of staff of the CIA and who also worked at the NSA, knows how to keep a secret. He told no one at George �鶹��Ƶ about his role in director Kathyrn Bigelow’s (The Hurt Locker, Zero Dark Thirty) latest thriller for more than a year until Rebecca Ferguson, the Swedish actor from the Mission: Impossible and Dune franchises, began singing Pfeiffer’s praises in global media.

“They hooked me up with Larry Pfeiffer,” she told the Times of London—and Vanity Fair, and IndieWire, and Tudum, the Netflix magazine—as well as in several promotional panel discussions. “He was the man. He’s basically the guy who Jason Clarke plays [in the film]. He’d been that guy, and he was on set every day.”

Rebecca Ferguson in a scene from A House of Dynamite: Larry Pfeiffer ‘was the man. … He had been that guy, and he was on set every day.’ Photos courtesy Netflix.

Ferguson plays Captain Olivia Walker, Situation Room senior duty officer. Clarke is Admiral Mark Miller, the senior director of the “SitRoom,” reporting to the president, played by Idris Elba. The real-time drama arises when a nuke of “indeterminate origin” makes its way through the skies toward Chicago, giving those in charge of saving the world a mere 19 minutes to respond.

After the producers reached out to Pfeiffer on the recommendation of another consultant, “we did a Zoom call during which I asked if they’d ever visited the real Situation Room,” Pfeiffer said. “When they said they hadn’t, I suggested I could ask the then-incumbent senior director if a tour could be arranged. After a couple weeks of deliberation, they invited us in.”

This entre into a remarkably secure national security facility heightened the film’s realism when it came time to build the set. “The production crew did an amazing job recreating the Situation Room, but also the hallways leading to it, the Oval Office, the press briefing room—even the Navy Mess where we would line up to get our meals,” Pfeiffer said.

In fact, “the ‘SitRoom’ felt so real that one time during production, I felt my phone vibrating in my pocket and for a moment I felt pangs of guilt as if I had brought my phone into a secure facility”—a major violation of security protocol.

As for Ferguson and the other actors, director Bigelow “gave me wide latitude to help them shape their characters and their actions,” he said. “I also offered suggestions to the script. Her remit to me was to help her make it as real as possible.”

Larry Pfeiffer
Photo by Office of University Branding

Feguson’s main takeaway seems to be a comment she’s repeated several times: Pfeiffer told her, “You never lose your [euphemism for cool] in the Situation Room,” she has said. That led to at least one scene being added when Ferguson, as Walker, feels compelled to do just that—walk out of the scene. Bigelow understood the motivation and did the scene again, this time with a camera following Walker out as she loses her cool and works to regain her composure.

“Rebecca Ferguson was a delight to work with,” Pfeiffer said. “She was down to earth and very friendly, eager to learn as quickly as possible what the role of a senior duty officer was, how they would walk and talk, what actions would they be doing at their desk, on their computer, with their phone and headset, how they related to other members of the ‘SitRoom’ team and to the high-level officials she would be dealing with, like the president.”

She also probed him on “what would be their motivation, what made them want to do a job like this? During breaks between filming, she didn’t shuttle off to a trailer or dressing room, she wanted to sit over a meal or a snack and pick my brain,” he said.

Pfeiffer has seen a rough cut of the film in July and attended a private screening earlier this month—the movie is in theaters now; it premieres on Netflix October 24—and said “it’s very good, the suspense kept me on the edge of my seat—and I had read the script and participated in the filming.

“I was especially happy at how Kathryn [Bigelow] captured the dedication, professionalism, and patriotism of the men and women of the Situation Room and the military, even under the worst of circumstances.”

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Manouchehri is this year’s Winter Commencement speaker

Katarina Benson — Fri, 17 Oct 2025 14:28:06 +0000

Manouchehri is this year’s Winter Commencement speaker Katarina Benson Fri, 10/17/2025 - 10:28

Ali Reza Manouchehri, BA Philosophy ‘99, co-founder and chief executive officer of MetroStar, a company he started as a �鶹��Ƶ student, will be the featured speaker at Winter Commencement on December 18 at EagleBank Arena on the Fairfax Campus.

Manouchehri will be the Winter Commencement speaker.

Manouchehri launched MetroStar, a digital transformation company serving government agencies and the private sector, in 1999 from his residence hall room. The company now has a team of more than 500 engineers, designers, and innovators who assist clients in staying abreast of the latest technologies to modernize operations.

The Iranian-born Manouchehri also is co-founder and chairperson, and former CEO, at software company Zoomph. Both MetroStar and Zoomph are based in Reston, Virginia.

In 2023, Manouchehri was named Executive of the Year in the $75 Million-$300 Million category at the Greater Washington Government Contractor Awards. In 2022, he received WashingtonExec's 2022 Chief Executive Officer Award in the Private Company, Annual Revenue less than $150M category. In 2024 he was appointed director of MainStreet Bank. 

Named a College of Humanities and Social Sciences Distinguished Alumnus in 2012, Manouchehri has been active in several capacities at George �鶹��Ƶ, including as philanthropist, a judge at the Accelerator Investor Conference, and currently as an advisory board member for the Costello College of Business Baroni Center for Government Contracting.

Manouchehri spoke at the CHSS degree celebration in 2016.

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PiVoT Peace Lab transforms conflict into connection

Sarah Holland — Fri, 17 Oct 2025 13:35:41 +0000

PiVoT Peace Lab transforms conflict into connection Sarah Holland Fri, 10/17/2025 - 09:35

Look at any newsfeed in the United States, and it won’t take long to find an article, op-ed, or think piece on the growing divide between Americans. Left vs right, liberal vs conservative, blue vs red: political polarization has become a hot topic in American media as both a cause and a symptom of growing tensions across the country.

But what’s missing from the conversation is the solution. How do we find common ground and bridge these growing gaps to create a more peaceful future?

In the Polarization and Violence Transformed (PiVoT) Peace Lab in the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution, researchers and practitioners are developing methods for peace-oriented responses to the negative impacts of extreme polarization and conflict around the globe.

Daniel Rothbart. Photo by Creative Services/Office of University Branding

“Most protracted violent conflicts are identity-based, meaning that the militants of one identity group are in a violent engagement with the militants or civilians of another identity group,” said Daniel Rothbart, Druscilla French Chair in Conflict Analysis and Resolution and director of the PiVoT Peace Lab. “That type of destructive polarization that encourages dehumanization is often at the center of these conflicts.”

The lab hosts a number of student- and researcher-led projects diving deeply into polarization: its causes, its consequences, and its possible solutions.

“It’s created for me this exciting opportunity to not only explore these important issues, but also to work with amazing students at all levels of our program,” said Rothbart.

One of those students is PiVoT Peace Lab manager Randy Lioz. Lioz, a master’s student in conflict analysis and resolution, developed an interest in the study of polarization in 2016, when conversations with friends and family about the 2016 presidential election highlighted contrasting viewpoints.

“I thought that what we’re missing are the tools and skills to have these conversations that could bring us into better understanding with one another,” he said. Since pivoting his career from the automotive industry to peacebuilding, Lioz has worked with practitioners and academics to develop methods and strategies for engaging opposite sides in relationship building that can break the cycles of dehumanization that fuel negative polarization.

“We need to understand what forces exist and how they push people toward radicalization, extremism, and alienation,” Lioz explained, “and then we need to figure out the best interventions.”

“Our mission as peacebuilders is to not only understand violent conflicts, but to help change the relationship among antagonist groups and help them transform,” said Rothbart.

As part of the peace lab’s mission to develop methods of reducing or eliminating the negative impacts of polarization and to foster this transformation, one of Lioz’s ongoing projects is leading the Depolarization Labs and Trainers Alliance (DeLTA). DeLTA brings scholars and practitioners together to build connections and explore pathways for bridging the growing divide.

Randy Lioz. Photo provided.

“Putting nonprofit partners in the same room as academics gives folks who are working in this field a place where they can talk about their research and connect it back to practice on the ground,” Lioz said.

DeLTA’s upcoming conference on October 27, “Pathways Forward: How Can We Restore Trust and Faith in America?” will give students, scholars, and practitioners the opportunity to learn about intervention techniques from national nonprofit leaders and university professors across the greater Washington, D.C., region.

“Right now, our faith in our institutions has been shaken, and this is existential for us. We need to rebuild our social capital and our trust in each other,” said Lioz. “I want people to get inspired by the work that’s being done to bring us all back into community with one another, particularly students who might want to pursue this field as a career. I want this to motivate us to tackle this existential problem of our time.”

But still, the question posed by the media remains: Can we come back from this?

Lioz and Rothbart believe so.

“Just as the forces of polarization have increased, I see the forces of depolarization are also intensifying. I see it in the strength and resilience that all over the nation, in how people are protecting the most vulnerable populations,” said Rothbart. “We talk about polarization as if it’s an inevitability; polarization is not inevitable, nor is it irreversible. There are so many reasons to be hopeful.”

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Powerful community partnerships help combat public health challenges

Taylor Thomas — Fri, 10 Oct 2025 17:06:05 +0000

Powerful community partnerships help combat public health challenges Taylor Thomas Fri, 10/10/2025 - 13:06

The �鶹��Ƶ and Partners (MAP) Clinics’ Empowered Communities program’s success is driven by dynamic partnerships between �鶹��Ƶ and community organizations that are transforming public health outcomes in underserved communities.

Initiatives convene networks of nurses, peer specialists, community health workers, and students to bring acute and chronic health care services, immunizations, school health exams, substance misuse treatment, mental health services, and more to low-income, uninsured, or refugee populations. For example, the Empowered Communities Opioid Project helps people involved with the justice system who struggle with opioid use disorders connect with health care providers and community resources.

Photo by Emily Roscher.

Empowered Communities programs exemplify how college-community alliances can directly improve highly targeted public health issues. These collaborations are foundational to delivering sustainable, person-centered care where it’s needed most. By combining academic expertise with on-the-ground community insight, these partnerships are creating scalable models for building healthier communities.

Prince William County and MAP Clinics partner on several initiatives, including the Jail Medication-Assisted Treatment Program, the Peer Internship Project, and Community MAT efforts. The collaboration is rooted in shared goals of expanding access to treatment, strengthening peer support services, and promoting recovery within justice-involved populations. Their remarkable collaboration was recognized with the Jack Wood Award for Town-Gown Relations in the category of Partnership Initiative.

“Partnerships like these are essential for building coordinated, comprehensive responses to the opioid epidemic, substance use, and behavioral health challenges in Prince William County, City of Manassas, and Manassas Park. By working together, we can leverage collective expertise, align resources, and deliver consistent, person-centered care across systems,” said Sara Wheeler, division manager of the Adult Behavioral Health and Recovery Services in the Prince William County Government.

Harnessing Tech Partners to Improve Health

Sri Vasireddy, co-founder and CEO of REAN Foundation, leads an organization dedicated to using technology to improve access, affordability, and efficiency in health care. Together, REAN and the MAP Clinics created �鶹��Ƶ HealthLink, an AI companion that allows patients to self-manage their own care by connecting them with resources, practitioners, and updated care plans. Their partnership exemplifies the intersection of technology and health care.

“There is tremendous need for what we do and there's a lot that we need to put together. I am a technology entrepreneur, and I have little direct knowledge in health care,” said Vasireddy. "What I know comes from working with organizations and partnerships, meeting people, and learning about their communities’ needs. On the technology side, the technology people process aspects of building a platform. But we need nursing staff and community workers and volunteers to help answer is this contextualized, is this personalized? It’s not just one discipline. We need psychology, we need science, we need technology, we need business in terms of the operations."

These partnerships—between academic institutions, local governments, and technology innovators—are the foundation of Empowered Communities’ success. They demonstrate how collaboration across sectors can drive sustainable public health solutions and improve outcomes for underserved populations.

Over the past two years, the Empowered Communities has hosted a conference that served as a platform for these partners to showcase milestones and reaffirm their shared commitment to providing resources to those most in need.

“Gatherings like the Empowered Communities Conference foster connection, knowledge sharing, and inspiration across sectors. They provide a platform to highlight innovative practices, celebrate progress, and strengthen the collective commitment to recovery, equity, and community resilience,” said Wheeler.

Photo by Emily Roscher.

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Career Influencers Network guides career-ready students toward success

Lauren Reuscher — Thu, 09 Oct 2025 14:05:36 +0000

Career Influencers Network guides career-ready students toward success Lauren Reuscher Thu, 10/09/2025 - 10:05

The Career Influencers Network at �鶹��Ƶ empowers faculty and staff to provide career development support to students throughout their academic journey. The network is open to instructors, advisors, success coaches, supervisors, and any others across campus who are positioned to help students achieve their professional goals.

University Career Services hosted a reception in early October honoring the network’s 10th anniversary. The network started in 2015 with 19 members, and it has now grown to include more than 500 faculty and staff.

Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding

The network exemplifies George �鶹��Ƶ’s approach to preparing career-ready graduates.

“The Career Influencers Network was the beginning of a ‘career ecosystem’ or ‘career everywhere’ approach,” said Saskia Campbell, executive director of University Career Services. “Preparing career-ready graduates is not confined to one office; it’s a shared responsibility of every faculty and staff member.”

The Carnegie Foundation and American Council on Education (ACE) has named George �鶹��Ƶ to the highest tier of its list of Opportunity Colleges and Universities: Higher Access, Higher Earnings, in recognition of the university’s commitment to accessibility, return on investment, and upward mobility. Positive, high-earning career outcomes contribute to that recognition.

Career Influencers offer students job-search advice, refer them to career advising, promote employer recruitment efforts at George �鶹��Ƶ, and share career resources with students.

“Campus partners have helped students connect the dots between their academic experiences or on-campus jobs and their professional futures—and that is transformative,” Campbell said.

The Career Influencers Network has garnered national attention—other institutions reach out for guidance to replicate its success on their own campuses. George �鶹��Ƶ’s network has been highlighted by organizations supporting career services in higher education, including the American Association of State Colleges and Universities.

The network’s ability to reach students wherever they are has been instrumental to its success.

“It's a common challenge many career services offices face: how to serve a large student population with limited staff and resources,” said Kristin Leonato, associate director of programs and outreach in University Career Services. “Utilizing career services is optional and not a required part of a degree program. The network allows us to connect with campus partners who students already know and trust.”

To join the network, faculty and staff participate in an interactive, 4.5-hour training covering topics like career readiness, how employers recruit George �鶹��Ƶ students, and strategies to support students at various stages of their career development.

Engagement with the network does not end with the initial training. Career Influencers receive ongoing support from University Career Services, including workshops on related topics and monthly updates on career-related events and services.

The 10th anniversary event included words of appreciation from Campbell and Rose Pascarell, vice president of University Life, who presented two awards recognizing faculty and staff contributions to the Career Influencers Network.

Erin McSherry, College of Humanities and Social Sciences (pictured at left), received the Star Recruiter Award for having referred the most new members to the Career Influencers Network. Pictured at right is Kristin Leonato, associate director, University Career Services. Photo provided

Erin McSherry, assistant dean in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHSS), received the Star Recruiter Award for having referred the most new members to the network. �鶹��Ƶ 50% of the faculty and staff in the network are referred by a colleague or supervisor.

Larry Guerin, adjunct faculty in the Criminology, Law, and Society Department within CHSS, received the Outstanding Influencer Award for demonstrating the impact career influencers can make on students’ personal and professional lives.

“It takes a strong network of committed professionals to support students in achieving their short-term and long-term professional goals in a wide range of career fields,” said Leonato. “The more than 500 faculty and staff in the Career Influencers Network are an important part of this work.”

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Guiding innovation: Meet the George �鶹��Ƶ mentors helping entrepreneurs turn ideas into impact

Colleen Rich — Wed, 08 Oct 2025 19:31:31 +0000

Guiding innovation: Meet the George �鶹��Ƶ mentors helping entrepreneurs turn ideas into impact Colleen Rich Wed, 10/08/2025 - 15:31

In the heart of Northern Virginia’s Innovation District, you can feel the buzz of ideas turning into action. Labs hum with experiments, whiteboards fill with sketches of prototypes, and the seeds of new ventures begin to grow. Guiding these entrepreneurs and inventors are TJ Master and Elizabeth Pyle, mentors with the Virginia Small Business Development Center’s (SBDC) Innovation Commercialization Assistance Program (ICAP).

TJ Master. Photo provided

Their job? Helping early-stage entrepreneurs transform vision into viable business strategy.

For both Master and Pyle, mentoring is more than advising—it’s about meeting founders where they are, asking tough questions, and helping them navigate the uncertain early stages of growth.

“I’m a go-to-market expert,” Master said, describing his background that spans Business-to-Consumer, Business-to-Business, and Business-to-Government sectors. “At ICAP, I work with teams from ideation through scaling. Most teams come in with an idea of their initial market and value proposition—I help them test those assumptions and figure out how to turn early interest into a go-to-market plan that makes sense.”

Master’s experience is hard-earned. He helped lead a global communications company from start-up to more than $100 million in annual revenue across six countries—culminating in a NASDAQ IPO. Now, his focus is on using that experience to fuel others’ success. “Working within a community of peers fosters collaboration and shared learning,” he said. “Founders get access to objective guidance in a space where everyone’s trying to solve similar problems.”

For Pyle, mentorship has always been about helping ideas find traction in the real world. Over the past two decades, she’s worked with start-ups and growth-stage companies in tech and health care, supporting founders as they turn ideas into sustainable businesses.

Elizabeth Pyle. Photo provided

As chief operating officer of Aperiomics, Pyle led operations and regulatory strategy. Before that, she helped shape the entrepreneurial ecosystem at the University of Virginia (UVA), directing the National Science Foundation’s I-Corps site program and serving as associate director for technology entrepreneurship at UVA’s School of Engineering and Applied Science.

Today, through her consulting firm, Pyle & Associates, she supports companies across industries in interim leadership roles. At ICAP, “I typically work with first-time founders and later-stage teams, faculty spinouts, and start-up to early-stage companies in life sciences, tech-enabled, and government-adjacent sectors,” Pyle said. “My focus is helping them optimize business models, prepare for funding, and build teams that can execute.”

Both mentors say that while funding is often the first thing founders mention as a challenge, it’s not the only hurdle.

“Many teams haven’t deeply defined the problem they’re trying to solve,” Pyle said. “They focus on the technology instead of the customer’s pain. What they really need to do is set the tech aside and validate the problem—understand who has it, what it looks like, and how it affects workflow.”

Hiring and limited lab space can also slow momentum.

Still, for both mentors, the region’s innovation energy is unmistakable. New initiatives like Governor Glenn Youngkin’s Lab-to-Launch program, which aims to streamline commercialization processes across Virginia’s universities, promise to make it even easier for entrepreneurs to turn ideas into impact.

“It’s an exciting initiative,” Master said. “It introduces a transparent and founder-friendly approach to licensing and tech transfer across the state, helping both researchers and entrepreneurs move their products forward faster.”

And while the innovation landscape is changing—particularly with artificial intelligence accelerating product development and investor expectations—Master sees opportunity in the shift. “Investors are asking for stronger growth signals earlier,” he said. “AI raises the bar for lean teams and drives faster hypothesis testing. That creates pressure and opportunity.”

For founders who don’t have a technical background, Pyle has simple but powerful advice: Build your team. “Be honest about your strengths and weaknesses,” she said. “Recruit people who can fill the gaps. Investors back teams who they feel can execute.”

Her second piece of guidance: Keep listening. “Leverage customer discovery interviews,” she said. “Talk to potential users, test assumptions, gather data, and refine the problem you’re solving.”

That focus on curiosity and adaptability is exactly what the Innovation District, led jointly by George �鶹��Ƶ, Prince William County, and the City of Manassas, and anchored by George �鶹��Ƶ’s Science and Technology Campus, hopes to cultivate—a community where researchers, students, and entrepreneurs collaborate to build something bigger than themselves.

Through ICAP, Virginia-based founders have access to free resources, mentorship, and networking opportunities designed to turn great ideas into market-ready ventures.

Master and Pyle are both on site to meet with founders and teams in the Innovation District. Learn more and register to for ICAP program benefits and mentorship through the Virginia SBDC website.

To connect with Master and Pyle, entrepreneurs can sign up for the Innovation District newsletter by emailing ibhi@gmu.edu.

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�鶹��Ƶ drives upward mobility, salary outcomes, and value in Virginia according to the Wall Street Journal

Colleen Rich — Thu, 02 Oct 2025 13:26:06 +0000

�鶹��Ƶ drives upward mobility, salary outcomes, and value in Virginia according to the Wall Street Journal Colleen Rich Thu, 10/02/2025 - 09:26

�鶹��Ƶ is Virginia’s leading public university for value, upward mobility, and salary outcomes, according to the Wall Street Journal’s 2026 Best Colleges in the U.S. This recognition underscores George �鶹��Ƶ’s impact as one of the Commonwealth of Virginia’s most influential public universities, providing students with a high-quality education and preparing graduates for strong career opportunities.

Climbing five spots nationally to 71st overall and 32nd among public universities, and to the top 5 in Virginia (4th overall), George �鶹��Ƶ reinforced its consistent record of leadership nationally and in the commonwealth.

Key highlights from the 2026 Wall Street Journal rankings include:

No. 1 in Virginia for upward mobility
No. 1 among Virginia and D.C. area public universities for salary outcomes
No. 1 among Virginia public universities for best value
Top 5 university in Virginia for student experience

George �鶹��Ƶ’s top ranking for upward mobility reflects its commitment to helping students from all backgrounds succeed. With above-average graduation rates, universal access to internships—including financial support for unpaid positions—and 85% of 2024 graduates reporting a positive career outcome, the university equips students to launch strong careers, with a majority remaining in Virginia and the Washington, D.C., metropolitan region.

Ranked No. 1 among Virginia and Washington, D.C., metropolitan region public universities for salary outcomes, George �鶹��Ƶ also stands out nationally, earning a top 50 rank (42nd overall). Graduates consistently report among the highest starting salaries of any Virginia public university, a testament to George �鶹��Ƶ’s focus on career readiness and success.

The Wall Street Journal recognizes George �鶹��Ƶ as No. 1 among Virginia public universities (95th nationally) for best value, emphasizing the university’s commitment to affordability and minimizing student debt.

Significant gains were made in student experience, with George �鶹��Ƶ climbing into the top 100 public universities (93rd overall) and into the top 5 in Virginia (4th overall), reflecting increased student satisfaction, expanded opportunities on campus for collaboration and engagement, and continued investment in creating a dynamic learning environment that fosters students’ growth as individuals, scholars, and professionals.

These results build on George �鶹��Ƶ’s strong performance in other recent national rankings. U.S. News & World Report recognized George �鶹��Ƶ as No. 1 in Virginia and the Washington, D.C., metropolitan region public universities for upward mobility and in the top 5 in Virginia for best value. Forbes places George �鶹��Ƶ among the nation’s top 50 public universities (47th overall), while Washington Monthly ranks the university as top 5 in Virginia overall in Best Colleges for Your Tuition (and Tax) Dollars and No. 1 in Virginia overall in Best Bang for the Buck in the Southeast.

Together, these rankings spotlight George �鶹��Ƶ’s distinctive role in delivering access, value, and outcomes at scale. The full list of George �鶹��Ƶ rankings is available at gmu.edu/rankings.

Fuse at �鶹��Ƶ Square powers research and innovation through collaboration

Colleen Rich — Mon, 29 Sep 2025 20:16:02 +0000

Fuse at �鶹��Ƶ Square powers research and innovation through collaboration Colleen Rich Mon, 09/29/2025 - 16:16

�鶹��Ƶ celebrated Fuse at �鶹��Ƶ Square with the same collaborative spirit that will fuel decades of innovation at the state-of-the-art facility in Arlington, Virginia. Hundreds of representatives from industry, academia, government, and the community came together for the grand celebration at Fuse on Thursday, which included Governor Glenn Youngkin speaking at the ribbon cutting for the Energy Exploration (E2) Center.

“Igniting a fuse signifies the moment where possibility transforms into inevitability,” George �鶹��Ƶ President Gregory Washington said during the main program celebration that culminated the grand opening event. “It's that razor-thin instant where preparation meets decision and hesitation gives way to action. What we have done today is strike that initial flame. And that initial flame is a declaration that the future will no longer be passive. It will unfold because you dare to set it in motion.”

Fuse, which anchors the Arlington Innovation Corridor that runs from Rosslyn to Ballston, is a “a factory of dreams, factory of ideas,” said Takis Karantonis, chair of the Arlington County Board. Fuse will house research and economic opportunities in emerging areas such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, power/energy, Next G communications, nuclear small reactor control systems, and data center engineering.

Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding

Much of that work will support the university’s Grand Challenge Initiative. In addition, �鶹��Ƶ Enterprise will support thousands of entrepreneurs in tech and other fields on their path to commercialization and adoption of their ideas and inventions.

Washington singled out several key figures in the completion of the Fuse project, including College of Engineering and Computing dean Ken Ball; Liza Wilson Durant, associate provost for strategic initiatives and community engagement; and �鶹��Ƶ Innovation Partners, a development consortium led by Edgemoor Infrastructure & Real Estate. The event also included acknowledgment of the key role philanthropy plays at George �鶹��Ƶ, giving thanks to Kimmy Duong and Long Nguyen, whose names grace Virginia’s first School of Computing.

“We are celebrating more than a building,” said Trishana E. Bowden, vice president of advancement and alumni relations and president of the �鶹��Ƶ Foundation. “We are celebrating a bold vision come to life, a place where ideas, partnerships, opportunities will shape our future. So consider this an open invitation. Partner with us, invest with us. Help us ensure that the energy we celebrate today continues to inspire generations of thinkers, doers, and leaders.”

Ball said that 44 engineering and computing faculty have moved into their offices at Fuse and are setting up their labs, and 120 PhD students are there as well. Hundreds of students are already enrolled in classes at Fuse, where there are labs for robotics and autonomous systems, virtual reality, power engineering, networking, cybersecurity, and other innovative pursuits. With Fuse fully open, every school and college at �鶹��Ƶ now has a presence at �鶹��Ƶ Square.

From left, Vice President Trishana E. Bowden, Long Nguyen, Kimmy Duong, President Gregory Washington, and Dean Ken Ball at the Grand Celebration for Fuse at �鶹��Ƶ Square. Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding

“You'll see the best minds in higher education and private industry together tackling some of society's toughest ethical and technical challenges,” George �鶹��Ƶ Board of Visitors Rector Charles “Cully” Stimson said. “And most importantly, you'll see our students gaining the kinds of hands-on experience that will carry them into the workforce ready to lead.”

Ball was one of multiple speakers to thank the university’s philanthropists, including Kimmy Duong and Long Nguyen, who gave a $20 million gift to establish the state’s first School of Computing in their name. Duong and Nguyen also provide scholarships to students at George �鶹��Ƶ and other colleges and universities in the Washington, D.C., region through the Kimmy Duong Foundation.

One scholarship recipient is Rakibul Alam, an Honors College student in the Costello College of Business. Alam has served in Student Government and as a student ambassador at the business school, launched a startup called Project Hope to improve the availability of menstrual health products in Bangladesh, and studied abroad in Morocco and India. Alam also is president of �鶹��Ƶ Consulting Group and interned with the Department of the Navy and KPMG.

“The generosity of our donors, including the Kimmy Duong Foundation, has not only helped me with the financial challenges of tuition, books, and living expenses, but has also help me accomplish my dream of a global education,” Alam said in thanking Duong and Nguyen, telling them, “You are changing lives and creating a generation of students who will be giving back. You are making this world a better place. And I hope that I can be part of that change and to represent you well.”

The Fuse celebration included the dedication and ribbon cutting of the Energy Exploration (E2) Center, the largest small modular reactor (SMR) control room simulator of its kind in the country, and one of 11 in the world.

E2, in partnership with NuScale Power Corporation, will provide students with opportunities to learn on the latest technology to become leaders and innovators in the sustainable energy workforce, a shared vision among higher education, government and industry.

Virginia Clean Energy Innovation Bank funded E2 as part of the Virginia Department of Energy’s investments in the state’s nuclear energy workforce development.

“You all are about to engage in a step function change in your ability to understand the power of nuclear power,” Youngkin said, singling out the students and faculty in attendance at the dedication on the seventh floor of Fuse. “Because you're no longer going to be reading about SMRs. You're no longer going to wish that you could work on one. You are going to be able to walk into that room….and do something incredible, which is prepare yourself for an extraordinary career.

“We have a collective moment to celebrate, a collective moment to say this is a step that we will all remember that the workforce of the future in order to drive the power of the future was right here at �鶹��Ƶ.”

Glenn Davis, BA Economics ’93, is the state’s energy director. He joined Youngkin, Washington, and NuScale Chief Commercial Officer Clayton Scott at the dedication.

“�鶹��Ƶ has been an exceptional partner building curriculum, recruiting talent, and opening this space to educators, local leaders, and the public. It’s the right capacity and capability in the right place at the right time,” Davis said.

At a VIP reception that preceded the E2 event, Washington thanked several groups for their involvement in Fuse, including the President’s Innovation Advisory Council, which includes representatives from industry, community, and government.

Washington specifically cited Victor Hoskins, president and CEO of the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority, for the extensive role he has played in championing Fuse and lifting technological innovation in Northern Virginia, including attracting Amazon HQ2 to the region.

“His efforts to drive economic growth, jobs, and investment across Northern Virginia has been recognized and championed all throughout the country,” Washington said. “He has been a huge supporter of us, putting George �鶹��Ƶ literally at the center of that development, and has been incredibly helpful in helping to move it forward.

“He has provided leadership and vision in shaping Fuse at �鶹��Ƶ Square as a model for collaboration among business, government, and academia.”

George �鶹��Ƶ faculty and students presented interactive demonstrations involving drones, robots, and other tools of technological advancement.

“When the Commonwealth of Virginia, the Northern Virginia community, and �鶹��Ƶ work together, there is absolutely no limit to what we can achieve and achieve together,” Washington said.

Learn more about Fuse at �鶹��Ƶ Square

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George �鶹��Ƶ hosts grand celebration of Fuse at �鶹��Ƶ Square

Colleen Rich — Tue, 23 Sep 2025 20:21:17 +0000

George �鶹��Ƶ hosts grand celebration of Fuse at �鶹��Ƶ Square Colleen Rich Tue, 09/23/2025 - 16:21

�鶹��Ƶ marks a defining moment today with the grand celebration of Fuse at �鶹��Ƶ Square, featuring the formal naming of the School of Computing in honor of philanthropists Kimmy Duong and Long Nguyen, the ribbon cutting of the new Energy Exploration (E2) Center, and interactive exhibits as part of George �鶹��Ƶ’s Grand Challenge Initiative.

Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding

Located in Arlington, Virginia, Fuse is designed as a catalyst for collaboration between academia, industry, and government. The grand celebration will demonstrate how George �鶹��Ƶ and its partners are advancing research, talent, and business to strengthen the region and addressing today’s grand challenge to drive solutions worldwide. Built in partnership with �鶹��Ƶ Innovation Partners (MIP), a development consortium led by Edgemoor Infrastructure & Real Estate, Fuse stands as a model of how universities and private partners can work together to expand opportunity and accelerate innovation.

“Fuse is a symbol of what George �鶹��Ƶ stands for: innovation, collaboration, and opportunity, as we collaborate to propel bold solutions for a prosperous, peaceful future,” said President Gregory Washington. “With support and investment from the state, Fuse at �鶹��Ƶ Square not only opens doors to industry with a one-of-a-kind innovation destination, but also opens a new chapter in the university’s role as a leader of discovery and economic growth for Virginia.”

In recognition of the Kimmy Duong Foundation’s generosity, the event will honor the transformational naming gift for the university’s School of Computing—the first of its kind in the commonwealth. This gift, made possible through the vision and commitment of Kimmy Duong and Long Nguyen, establishes three endowments: two within the College of Engineering and Computing to provide lasting support for scholarships and student success initiatives aligned with the commonwealth’s Tech Talent Investment Program, and one within University Life to provide scholarships.

Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding

“Kimmy Duong and Long Nguyen’s extraordinary gift will create pathways that expand what’s possible for our students and significantly enhance the experiential learning opportunities available,” said Trishana E. Bowden, vice president of advancement and alumni relations and president of the �鶹��Ƶ Foundation. “Fuse reflects that same promise, a bold space that nurtures talent, fuels discovery, and equips �鶹��Ƶ students to transform the world ahead.”

This gift is part of �鶹��Ƶ Now: Power the Possible, George �鶹��Ƶ’s historic $1 billion campaign to expand innovation, increase access, and create opportunity for students and the commonwealth.

The celebration will also feature the ribbon cutting for the E2 Center, created in partnership with NuScale Power Corporation as part of the College of Engineering and Computing. The largest small modular reactor control room simulator of its kind in the United States, the E2 Center will engage students in hands-on nuclear science and engineering education and real-life scenarios. It was funded by a grant from the Virginia Clean Energy Innovation Bank, as part of the Virginia Department of Energy’s investments in the state’s nuclear energy workforce development.

“The E2 Center equips our students with cutting-edge technology, new educational opportunities, and will empower them to lead in the fast-evolving energy sector,” said Ken Ball, dean of the College of Engineering and Computing. “This center also affirms George �鶹��Ƶ as a leader in advancing sustainable energy solutions to meet society’s ever-growing energy demand. Partnerships, like this one between NuScale and George �鶹��Ƶ, are crucial in advancing the region’s goals to cultivate the next wave of innovators who will shape Virginia’s future and make a global impact.”

Attendees of the grand celebration will be able to explore interactive demonstrations by faculty, researchers, and students, such as an indoor drone challenges, hands-on engagement with humanoid robots, a virtual reality beehive, and AI-enabled virtual reality emergency response. Exhibits will spotlight George �鶹��Ƶ’s leadership in advancing the six Grand Challenge Initiative solutions: advancing 21st-century education for all, building a climate resilient society, driving responsible digital innovation and sustainable infrastructure, improving human health and preparedness, pioneering space exploration, and strengthening peace, trust, and engagement in democracy.

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�鶹��Ƶ Enterprise at �鶹��Ƶ propels entrepreneurship across the region

Colleen Rich — Tue, 23 Sep 2025 20:18:05 +0000

�鶹��Ƶ Enterprise at �鶹��Ƶ propels entrepreneurship across the region Colleen Rich Tue, 09/23/2025 - 16:18

Northern Virginia and the Greater Washington Region is rapidly becoming one of the nation’s fastest-growing entrepreneurial destinations for investors and inventors, with �鶹��Ƶ’s investments and partnerships as a key driver.

From Accelerate investor Conference 2024. Photo provided

The state’s largest university-based business incubator, �鶹��Ƶ Enterprise partners with the university’s schools and institutes, big business, start-ups, and venture capital investors to advance a thriving ecosystem of entrepreneurship and economic growth. This contributed to making Virginia a top state for business, according to CNBC.

“George �鶹��Ƶ is powering Virginia’s future,” said George �鶹��Ƶ President Gregory Washington. “The university is preparing students for high-demand careers, supporting entrepreneurs at every stage, and driving the growth of small businesses across the state. We’re not just in the degree business, we’re in the success business.”

�鶹��Ƶ Enterprise played a key role in Virginia’s new Lab-to-Launch initiative, the first of its kind in the nation. Developed through a statewide collaboration led by George �鶹��Ƶ and University of Virginia, with the Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation (VIPC) and the state’s four other R1 research universities—Old Dominion University, Virginia Commonwealth University, Virginia Tech, and William & Mary—the initiative is designed to double the number of start-ups that originate from Virginia’s research universities and accelerate the commercialization of breakthrough technologies.

�鶹��Ƶ Enterprise leadership and impact highlights include:

$2.8 billion in bank loans, lines of credit, venture capital, angel investment, new revenues, and government contracts secured in 2024
65 invention disclosures by faculty last year—a 150% increase over five years
Growth from 300 to 2,000 supported tech start-ups in five years
One in six of the businesses served by �鶹��Ƶ Enterprise are veteran-owned
58,000 entrepreneurs, small business owners, students and faculty participated in 2,600 workshops in 2024 (up from 19,000 attendees in 2020)
Helped in the formation of 409 new companies in 2024
Helped in the creation and retention of 6,351 jobs in 2024

“We’re proud to be building a culture of innovation that is reaping benefits for the region and beyond,” said Paula Sorrell, George �鶹��Ƶ’s associate vice president of innovation and economic development. “The blend of education, research, and public–private partnerships has created a steady pipeline of new ideas and investments that ensure our regional and national competitiveness.”

The �鶹��Ƶ Enterprise team, led by Sorrell, was recently recognized by the Virginia Association of Counties for its Accelerate Breakfast Series, which connects entrepreneurs and investors through curated pitch opportunities that strengthen the local start-up ecosystem and attract regional investment. In addition, the International Economic Development Council recognized �鶹��Ƶ Enterprise for its multiyear efforts advancing the region’s tech innovation economy with its Innovation Ecosystem Building award, the result of creating several high-impact, tech start-up focused programs to help diversify the regional economy.

�鶹��Ƶ Enterprise provides small business and start-ups with affordable office space, legal and accounting assistance, free mentoring, access to investor networks, makers’ spaces, and tailored programs designed to help get ideas get off the ground or take the next step to get to market. Working closely with VIPC and nearby local officials in Prince William, Arlington, and Fairfax counties, the team also manages the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) network, called the Virginia Small Business Development Center and the Department of War’s (DOW) Virginia APEX Accelerator.

�鶹��Ƶ Enterprise will host its fifth annual Accelerate Investor Conference 2025 on November 5-6 at the new Fuse at �鶹��Ƶ Square in Arlington, Virginia. This year’s venture capital event will feature keynote speaker Sid Banerjee, chief strategy officer for Medallia, as well as a fireside chat co-hosted by Virginia BIO CEO John Newby and Jeff Conroy, managing director of Bayeux Ventures and former CEO of Embody, a successful Virginia start-up.