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. 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.

13

CCAS research centers
and institutes

$19.7M

annual college research expenditures

507

permanent full-time faculty members

720+

average annual
faculty media hits


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

Dmitry Streletskiy and Dean Paul Wahlbeck seated on a stage talking with a Columbian College of Arts and Sciences logo

Climate Change and the Thawing Permafrost

In a conversation with CCAS Dean Paul Wahlbeck, Geography's Dmitry Streletskiy discusses the impact of climate change on the overall sustainability of the Arctic.

Sherry Molock and Paul Wahlbeck seated on a stage with a George Washington University logo behind them

Addressing Suicide Risks Among Black Youths

In a conversation with Dean Paul Wahlbeck, Psychology's Sherry Molock discusses her work to address rising suicides rates among African American adolescents.

Watch More Research Conversations


Research Making Headlines

Biology and statistics major Chaitrali Patil discussed her project on designing safer pesticides with CCAS Dean Paul Wahlbeck at the CCAS Research Showcase. (Photos: William Atkins/GW Today)

CCAS Showcase Celebrates Student Research

More than 125 undergraduate and graduate students across the disciplines displayed their scholarly work at the inaugural CCAS Research Showcase.

History doctoral candidate and U.S. Marine veteran A.J. Cade. (Photo William Atkins)

History Restored: The Untold Story of Black Civil War Soldiers

History PhD candidate and Marine vet A.J. Cade was inspired by a forgotten Civil War regiment of all-Black soldiers. Now, he’s bringing their legacy to life.

David DeGrazia

Should AI Systems Have Rights? 3 Questions with David DeGrazia

David DeGrazia, Elton Professor of Philosophy, was interviewed in a video about the potential consciousness of artificial intelligence.

Dmitry Streletskiy and Dean Paul Wahlbeck seated on a stage talking with a Columbian College of Arts and Sciences logo

Climate Change and the Thawing Permafrost

In a conversation with CCAS Dean Paul Wahlbeck, Geography's Dmitry Streletskiy discusses the impact of climate change on the overall sustainability of the Arctic.

Sherry Molock and Paul Wahlbeck seated on a stage with a George Washington University logo behind them

Addressing Suicide Risks Among Black Youths

In a conversation with Dean Paul Wahlbeck, Psychology's Sherry Molock discusses her work to address rising suicides rates among African American adolescents.

Junior American Studies major Noor Jehan Ansari discussed the experiences of Muslim students at the Interrogating GW conference. (Photos: William Atkins).

Interrogating the Past: Students Reveal GW History

In his American Studies capstone course, Tom Guglielmo asks students to train a critical eye on GW’s legacy—from Civil War archives to on-campus activism.