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 Books
Faculty Research Conversations
The Impact of Climate Change on Coastal Ecosystems
CCAS Dean Paul Wahlbeck and Assistant Professor of Biology Keryn Gedan discusses the ways global changes in the climate have impacted Chesapeake Bay's wetlands.
CCAS Dean Paul Wahlbeck discusses with Physics Professor Alexander van der Horst his research on the multi-wavelength observations.
Research Making Headlines
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.
George Washington's Life and Legacy
In a video conversation with CCAS Dean Paul Wahlbeck, History Professor Denver Brunsman discusses George Washington's life and the impact of his legacy today.
Whatever Happened to Coalition Building?
Why can’t modern American political systems build consensus? Timothy Shenk's new book explores how visionaries once forged majorities—and how polarization tore them apart.
Midterm Election Results: Impact and Analysis
Sarah Binder, GW professor of political science and a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, sat down with Dean Wahlbeck to discuss the midterm elections.
Astrophysics Student Impacts Earth and Sky
Graduate student Sarah Chastain searches space for cosmic transients—a project that is opening the field to a diverse new generation of students and scholars.
When Autism Research Hits Home
Luther Rice-winning neuroscience major Mohammed Almarkhan researches autism. His findings may improve the lives of millions——including his own sister.