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Schar School in the News
Schar School’s Terrorism Center Joins International Conservation Union to Combat Wildlife and Conservation Crimes
January 19, 2021
Schar School Adds Intelligence Expert, Author, TV Commentor David Priess to Faculty
January 13, 2021
Schar School Partners with UiPath for Robotic Process Automation Initiative
January 11, 2021
Despite Life’s Daunting Challenges, Schar School Senior Cassidy Whitehurst Thrives at Mason
January 06, 2021

Upcoming Events
Hayden Center Event - The Assault on Intelligence: After Trump (1/26)
January 26, 2021
George Hutchinson Oral Defense of Dissertation Proposal in Public Policy (1/28)
January 28, 2021
Race and Social Justice Colloquia (2/4)
February 04, 2021
Virtual Resume Clinic (2/4)
February 04, 2021
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#Arizona is putting the economy over public health, says @ScharSchool's @SaskiaPopescu. Too bad for citizens the state's leaders can't work it out. @WSJ: https://t.co/hsvddpXL0d pic.twitter.com/xnYVnlVCjA

— Schar School (@ScharSchool) January 25, 2021

This just in! Award-winning Actor, Activist, and Humanitarian @mrdannyglover is talking with the @GMUCarterSchool on Feb. 3 at 5pm. Register: https://t.co/gsELuRsKYp pic.twitter.com/BH21HjsJp0

— Schar School (@ScharSchool) January 25, 2021

The #COVID19 #pandemic has taken a heavy toll on restaurants. @ScharSchool’s Terry Clower sees brighter days ahead, reminding @InsideNoVa “once we feel that there is some measure of safety, customers will surge back to restaurants.” https://t.co/JkqGUCWLb1 pic.twitter.com/8oSN3Ha4Hw

— Schar School (@ScharSchool) January 25, 2021

#Maryland is facing some hefty costs if the plan on I-270 stalls. @ScharSchool’s Johnathan Gifford tells @washingtonpost that this type of thing can be avoided. “The earlier you get the contractor involved the more options for innovation you have.” https://t.co/NgDPwFbkWj pic.twitter.com/IBCeYAZTOT

— Schar School (@ScharSchool) January 25, 2021

Just because you got the #COVID19 #vaccine doesn't mean you can stop wearing a mask! @ScharSchool's @SaskiaPopescu tells the @ajc researchers need more time to figure out whether vaccines prevent transmission. (Pic, Popescu practices what she preaches.) https://t.co/szyp5Ek5HQ pic.twitter.com/lNCiJAggM2

— Schar School (@ScharSchool) January 22, 2021

Experts are relieved at #Biden's plan to combat #COVID19. @ScharSchool's @SaskiaPopescu tells @YahooNews: "For the better part of a year now we’ve seen virtually no COVID-19 response from the White House." https://t.co/dgrrni08bI pic.twitter.com/LvIng8Tit9

— Schar School (@ScharSchool) January 22, 2021

#Biden’s inaugural address linked prosperity to civic virtue. @ScharSchool’s @StevePearlstein analyzed the address in an op-ed for the @washingtonpost. “The pluralistic ideal lies at the core of Biden’s summons to national unity.” https://t.co/UXIeUJabx4 pic.twitter.com/kMD6pffwI9

— Schar School (@ScharSchool) January 21, 2021

Will the same happen to #Trump? @ScharSchool’s @jomaburt discussed #Peru’s ex-head of state being held accountable in court with @newrepublic. Peru showed “its citizens that its system of justice is capable of prosecuting even the most powerful.” https://t.co/WC5VSpUsO3 pic.twitter.com/KYH96ASO9R

— Schar School (@ScharSchool) January 21, 2021

Under #Biden, America has rejoined the @WHO. @ScharSchool’s @SaskiaPopescu tells @Forbes: “I’m truly happy to see that the Biden-Harris administration has prioritized rejoining the WHO.” It’s a good signal to our global partners. https://t.co/J5uGBnNROW pic.twitter.com/ODyGFuLfyj

— Schar School (@ScharSchool) January 21, 2021

As #Biden takes office, he’s expected to issue many orders during his first 100 Days. @ScharSchool’s @MarkJRozellGMU writes in @thehill that this will “showcase that their elections resulted in meaningful and nearly immediate change.” https://t.co/hWWvrorMZR pic.twitter.com/WwRd1ZBnNP

— Schar School (@ScharSchool) January 21, 2021
Home » News & Events » Latest News » Mason Receives Multimillion-Dollar Center of Excellence Award from the Department of Homeland Security

Mason Receives Multimillion-Dollar Center of Excellence Award from the Department of Homeland Security

By Damian Cristodero August 02, 2017

George Mason University has been selected by the Department of Homeland Security to lead its Center of Excellence in Criminal Investigations and Network Analysis.

The 10-year, multimillion-dollar grant is among the largest research awards the university has received, with $3.85 million committed for its first year of operation.

Schar School faculty members Louise Shelley and Desmond Arias, as well as staff of the Terrorism, Transnational Crime and Corruption Center (TraCCC), were among those leading the efforts to submit, and successfully win, the award. Under the grant, George Mason will lead a consortium of universities and law enforcement agencies to investigate patterns of criminal activities and forensics, and develop strategies to predict and disrupt transnational crime. Six schools within Mason collaborated to develop much of the proposal, with Professors Shelley and Arias among those in the lead. Dr. Shelley will serve on the leadership team for the project.

“We are honored by the confidence shown in our university and our extraordinary faculty by the Department of Homeland Security,” George Mason President Ángel Cabrera said. “This award highlights our commitment to multidisciplinary collaboration in areas of great societal consequence and our emergence as a top-tier research university.”

Matthew Clark, director of Homeland Security’s Office of University Programs, said Mason’s experience working with the security and intelligence communities, coupled with its strong criminology and sociology programs, “makes them a strong partner for the department.”

The Homeland Security Act of 2002 established Centers of Excellence as a university-based system that works with operational agencies to solve complex and difficult problems.

“Mason is committed to elevating multidisciplinary research of significant societal impact,” Mason Provost S. David Wu said. "This project highlights our institutional commitment and our strengths in multifaceted security research. The Center of Excellence will bring together some of our best minds in the social and natural sciences, policy and engineering.”

The leadership team will consist of professor Anthony Stefanidis, who serves as director of the new Center of Excellence; University Professor Louise Shelley, director of the Schar School's Terrorism, Transnational Crime and Corruption Center; Paulo Costa, associate professor of systems engineering and operations research; professor David Weisburd, executive director of Mason’s Center for Evidence-Based Crime Policy; Allison Redlich, professor in the Department of Criminology, Law and Society; Jim Jones, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering; and professor Mary Ellen O’Toole, director of Mason’s Forensic Science Program.

“This award is a true reflection of the Mason community’s commitment to advancing research of consequence and is made possible by the multidisciplinary strengths that we and our trusted partners bring to the center,” said Deborah Crawford, Mason’s vice president of research. “We look forward to working with our academic partners in the homeland security enterprise on this important topic for years to come.

Read the announcement from DHS.

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