Two students examining research samples in the Science and Engineering Hall with the sun shining through the window and the text "Research" and original Columbian College seal overlayed

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

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.

Exploring Cosmic Extremes

CCAS Dean Paul Wahlbeck discusses with Physics Professor Alexander van der Horst his research on the multi-wavelength observations.

Watch More Research Conversations


Research Making Headlines

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The Cicada Cycle: How the Buzzing Bugs Alter Forest Food Chains

New research by GW biologists reveals that even after cicada emergences subside, the insect invasion continues to eat away at ecosystems.

Vials in a lab being filled with clear blue liquid

Lab Tech: Is AI the Drug Developer of the Future?

At a summit of leading scholars and researchers, Chemistry’s Jakub Kostal discussed whether using AI technology in drug development is revolutionary—or risky.

John Lill on a video still

The Ecological Impacts of Cicada Emergences: 3 Questions with John Lill and Zoe Getman-Pickering

Biology's Professor John Lill and former postdoc Zoe Getman-Pickering were interviewed in a video about their research on how cicadas impact our ecosystems.

Program Coordinator Nico MacDougall (second from right) with Harlan scholars (from left) Cole Christensen, Valerie Chen, Zoe Ilgenfritz, Martina Tsimba, Maggie Connolly and Margarita Kyza-Karavioti  at the Botanic Gardens. Not shown is Harlan scholar Kiana Kamrava.

Summer School: Bio Students Thrive in Harlan Fellowship

A cohort of biology students spent their summer in the lab and the field thanks to a CCAS program that supports undergraduate research opportunities.

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Dogs With Less Complex Facial Markings Found to Be More Expressive in their Communication with Humans

New study explores the relationship between a canine’s facial appearance and how expressive they appear to be when communicating with their human companions.

The "Cellphone: Unseen Connections" exhibit at the National Museum of Natural History is partly influenced by the research efforts of GW scholars and students. (Photos courtesy Smithsonian Institution National Museum of Natural History)

Cellphone Central: Smithsonian Exhibit Dials into GW Collaboration

With input from GW scholars and students, a new exhibit at the National Museum of Natural History charts how cellphones have changed our lives and our planet.