Mason Science in the Media

CDS researchers conclude that Mars colony could survive with fewer than two dozen people

Mason researchers from the Department of Computational and Data Sciences calculate minimum number of astronauts needed to build and maintain Mars colony.

The data scientists – Edgar Arguello, Sam Carter, Cristina Grieg, Michael Hammer, Chris Prather, Clark Petri, and Anamaria Berea – describe their findings in a preprint paper titled "An Exploration of Mars Colonization with Agent-Based Modeling."

Washington Post: Forensic research farm prepares to receive a key addition

George Mason University is gearing up to receive its first donated body to its Forensic Science Research and Training Laboratory, better known as “the body farm.” Mary Ellen O’Toole, a former FBI profiler who now works as director of George Mason’s forensic science program, said researchers at the farm study how donated bodies decompose over time, hoping that their findings can be used to help law enforcement solve homicides and cold cases.

AP News: Revamped Math Boot Camp bridges the gap for incoming students

Colleges across the country are grappling with the same problem as academic setbacks from the pandemic follow students to campus. About 100 students opted to spend a week of summer break at George Mason University brushing up on math lessons that didn’t stick during pandemic schooling. Math Boot Camp started because of alarming numbers of students arriving with gaps in their math skills.