We find solutions to problems in aerospace engineering that advance the field
Our researchers make air travel safer, satellites smaller, and surfaces stronger. Our students learn to fly airplanes, launch satellites, and explore the multidisciplinary nature of aerospace and aviation from the capabilities of materials to the possibilities of space.
Sidney Boakye, mechanical engineering alumnus, received the prestigious Matthew Isakowitz Fellowship and interned at Rocket Lab in Los Angeles after graduating from Mason in May 2021.
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Photo credit
Ron Aira/Creative Services
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Government Partnerships
Our Northern Virginia location places us at the epicenter of government contract activity. According to Defense Intelligence, five percent of contract dollars go to Fairfax County. Five major aerospace and defense contractors call Fairfax County home.
Read Our Latest News
June 30, 2023Students from George Mason University's data analytics engineering program competed in the 2023 FAA Data Challenge Forum, using AI strategies to navigate air travel solutions and improvements.
January 3, 2023Drawn by Mason’s multidisciplinary research and teaching, Missy Cummings will create a new program in the design and deployment of Artificial Intelligence.
November 10, 2022Mason CEC SEOR student Darius Jack is often the youngest person landing a plane at one of Virginia’s 65 airports. Having gotten his pilot’s license as a teenager, Darius combines his interests in aviation and engineering when he’s in the cockpit.
October 27, 2022George Mason University is about to activate a massive satellite dish! Scheduled for the scrapyard in 2020, the 27-year-old, 30-foot satellite dish on its Fairfax Campus will be used by engineering students—as well as those in other Mason schools and colleges—for multidisciplinary, hands-on experience and projects.
October 4, 2022Reigning senior national judo champion Yasmin Alamin is looking forward to launching her career in mechanical engineering in 2023.
September 30, 2022In 2006, George Mason University alum Anousheh Ansari, BS Computer and Electrical Engineering ’88, traveled to the International Space Station for an 11-day expedition and the first female private space explorer, first astronaut of Iranian descent, first Muslim woman in space, and fourth private explorer to visit space.
September 23, 2022George Mason University invites over 200 researchers from around the world to a virtual workshop, to discuss and examine the effects of global warming from clouds generated by aircraft.
March 8, 2021A Fairfax County Police pilot demonstrates the principles of vertical lift as well as how cyclic and collective flight systems affect motion and control of the rotor blades on the Merten Hall lawn as part of Engineers Week.
February 10, 2021George Mason University’s first satellite "ASTERIA," part of Mason Engineering’s ThinSat program, successfully passed environmental testing at the Northrop Grumman facility on Wallops Island and was integrated into a deployer. ASTERIA is now ready for launch.
February 8, 2021Many people dream of being an astronaut and rocketing into outer space, but senior Sidney Boakye just landed an opportunity that launches him closer to that long-standing dream.
January 8, 2021Mason students compete with Lighter Than Air robotic shark blimps.
October 21, 2020Lance Sherry's research wins NASA award.
Notable faculty in aerospace research
Missy Cummings
Mason’s youth and innovation attract world-class research
Mary (Missy) Cummings’ faculty appointment spans three departments—Computer Science, Mechanical Engineering, and Electrical and Computer Engineering. She will also be the First American Bank Endowed Chair and Director of the Center for Robotics, Autonomous Systems, and Translational AI.
Cameron Nowzari
Patriot pilots fly high in blimp competition
Cameron Nowzari’s research focuses on the design of efficient, distributed coordination strategies for complex network systems.
Peter Pachowicz
George Mason readies reclaimed satellite dish
Peter Pachowicz is an associate professor in Electrical and Computer Engineering Department. His current interests include CubeSats, SatCom, and SpaceCom.
Learn more about our other faculty in aerospace research
Lance Sherry
- Lance Sherry has pioneered research in data analytics and stochastic simulation of large complex adaptive systems such as the air transportation system, operations of airports, airlines, and air traffic control, as well other network-of-network systems. These analyses are used widely for strategic planning, business development, cost/benefit analysis, and system productivity improvement. He is the director of the Center for Air Transportation Systems Research at Mason.
Leigh McCue
- Leigh McCue’s research interests are in nonlinear and chaotic vessel dynamics and computational fluid dynamics. This work has been supported by the Office of Naval Research (ONR), the National Science Foundation (NSF), NASA, the US Coast Guard, CSC, and QinetiQ. She is chair of the Department of Mechanical Engineering and director of the Vessel Dynamics Laboratory.
John Shortle
- John Shortle applies deep mathematical creativity to applied problems of societal significance. Many of his current research projects are funded by the FAA and NASA supporting the goal of making the future air transportation system safer than it is today. He is chair of the Department of Systems Engineering and Operations Research and has been an active member of the Center for Air Transportation Systems Research at Mason since its inception in 2003.
Medhi Amiri
- Medhi Amiri’s research interests focus on the behavior of structural materials under operational conditions, in particular the effects of materials' microstructure on performance under mechanical and environmental loadings. Amiri is the principal investigator of the Reliability and Mechanics of Failure Laboratory and an assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering.
Ali Beheshti
- Ali Beheshti’s research interests are inspired by the impending need for sustainable design and operation as well as prolonging the lifecycle of advanced components, especially focusing on surface mechanics. His research is centered around the performance of advanced materials and components such as super alloys as well as additively manufactured parts under extreme environments. Beheshti is currently an assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and director of the Tribology and Surface Mechanics Lab.
Our research collaborators include the Air Force Research Office, FAA, NASA, NASA-Goddard Space Flight Center, and many others.
Jay Deorukhkar, a student in the Electrical and Computer Engineering department at George Mason University, works with his team to create a satellite that will launch into Earth's orbit.
Photo credit:
Photo credit
Ron Aira/Creative Services
Degree programs
We offer degree and certificate programs in aerospace engineering from various departments. These programs include:
- BS, Mechanical Engineering. Concentration in Aerospace.
- Small Satellite Engineering Graduate Certificate. ECE department.
- BS, Systems Engineering. Aviation Flight Training and Management Minor
- MS, Systems Engineering. Concentration in Advance Transportation Systems.
- PhD, Systems Engineering and Operations Research.
- BS, Computer Engineering. Concentration in Space-Based Systems.
- BS, Electrical Engineering. Concentration in Space-Based Systems.
- MS, Electrical Engineering. Concentration in Space-Based Systems.
- PhD, Electrical and Computer Engineering.