Research & Discovery

 

At Columbian College, scholars and scientists join student researchers to challenge assumptions and

Advance the forefronts of knowledge.

 


Research

Discovery and innovation are a Columbian College tradition—from our century-long research partnership with the Smithsonian Institution to our state-of-the-art Science and Engineering Hall. As a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities (AAU), George Washington University is a distinguished leader in global research. Whether our scholars are observing celestial bodies light years from Earth or examining the roots of diseases like tuberculosis and malaria, Columbian College faculty and students are uncovering age-old mysteries and finding solutions to 21st-century challenges.

14

CCAS research centers
and institutes

$21.6M

annual college research expenditures

490+

permanent full-time faculty members

850+

average annual
faculty media hits


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Impact

 

Faculty Research

Columbian College faculty are prolific authors, awarding-winning scholars, innovators and artists. They are recipients of Guggenheims, Pulitzers and NEH fellowships, and are published in top media outlets and journals.

 

Student Research

From labs and classrooms on campus to field sites around the globe, Columbian College students work side-by-side with world-renowned researchers and scholars on a journey of cultural and scientific discovery.

Centers & Institutes

Columbian College is home to top research centers and institutes that explore an array of issues and ideas such as the origins of humankind, the inner workings of the brain and the growth of solar energy.

 

 

 

 

""

"Research has definitely broadened what I know about myself and what I want to do in the future. It's really changed my perspective on my career goals, and I'm very excited to keep going on that path now."

Sarah Schrup
BS '19

 

 

Faculty Research Conversations

Katrin Schultheiss and Dean Paul Wahlbeck seated in armchairs on a stage with Columbian College logo in the background

AI's Role in the Humanities

In a video conversation with CCAS Dean Wahlbeck, History's Katrin Schultheiss discusses the challenges and opportunities regarding the use of AI in the humanities.

CCAS Dean Paul Walhbeck and Anthropology Professor Eric Cline sit on a stage talking in front of a Columbian College logo screen

The Ancient World: Collapse and Resilience

In a video conversation with CCAS Dean Wahlbeck, Professor Eric Cline discusses the collapse and resilience of the ancient world, and lessons for today.

Watch More Research Conversations


Research Making Headlines

Alex Nyerges and Lindsay Chervinsky

Alumni Authors Write History’s Second Draft

In new books, alumni authors Alex Nyerges, BA ’79, MA ’82, and Lindsay Chervinsky, BA ’10, bring history to life.

Black white and gray image of physics equipment lit up from behind

The Particle Whisperers

GW experimental physicists are pioneering big science at the smallest scale.

Ken Wang in a blue GW shirt and blue shorts standing in front of a gate and a pond

Alumnus Maps out Geography Opportunities

By utilizing GW resources both in and out of the classroom, Ken Wang, BA ’25, discovered a passion for geographic information systems during his studies.

presentations on many wallboards with several groups in discussion at 2025 student research showcase

Time to Shine: CCAS Showcase Highlights Student Research

More than 200 undergraduate and graduate students across disciplines displayed their scholarly work at the third annual CCAS Research Showcase.

formulas and charts on a whiteboard

The Art of Uncertainty: In Stats Class, Probability is a Passion

In his Dean’s Seminar on the Science of Uncertainty, Professor Hosam M. Mahmoud turns stories into statistics as he finds the elegance in equations.

Fulbright Top Producer badge: US Student and Scholar Programs, 2024-25

GW Among Top Fulbright Producers for 2024–25

The university produced 13 Fulbright U.S. Students and five Fulbright U.S. Scholars in the academic year.