Spring 2026 – Ready for the big year ahead

Dear Colleagues,

Welcome back. I hope the winter break provided you time to rest, reflect, and recharge as we begin a new semester together.

This spring marks an important moment as we continue advancing the College of Science Strategic Plan. The priorities outlined in that plan—strengthening student success, advancing research excellence, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration, and cultivating an inclusive and supportive academic community—remain central to our work. Each of you plays a vital role in bringing these goals to life through your daily efforts, leadership, and long-term vision.

I am especially encouraged by the momentum around Mason’s Grand Challenge Initiative. The College of Science is deeply engaged in addressing complex, real-world challenges, from climate resilience and health innovation to data science, space exploration, and national security. These efforts highlight the power of science to drive impact while creating new opportunities for faculty scholarship, student engagement, and cross-unit collaboration. Thank you to those already contributing to this work. We will be advancing several strong proposals in the coming weeks and will share updates as they move forward.

To our faculty: I encourage you to continue pursuing innovative research and transformative teaching aligned with these priorities. To our staff: your leadership, organization, and expertise are essential to sustaining this momentum and ensuring success. Much of what you do happens behind the scenes, but it is foundational to everything we accomplish as a college.

Over the past few weeks, I’ve also been focused on expanding opportunities for the College through external engagement, including travel with President Washington to the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas and to England to cultivate international partnerships and research collaborations. I’ll share more about these experiences—and how they may benefit our work—in an upcoming blog post.

As we move through the semester, I hope you will find time to collaborate, reflect, and support one another. Take space to invest in what matters most to you—whether that means learning something new, strengthening a partnership, or simply connecting with a colleague. Together, we are building a College of Science that is forward-looking, impactful, and grounded in a strong sense of community and belonging.

Thank you for your continued dedication and leadership. I look forward to the progress we will make together this spring.

Take care,
Cody