Dr. Gregory Washington, Ph.D. was announced as George Mason University’s eighth president as of July 1, 2020.
Washington joined The Samueli School of Engineering in August 2011 and is serving his second term as Dean. Under his leadership, the school has increased its faculty ranks and numbers of students. He instituted a popular freshman experiential learning program that gives engineering students a taste of real-world product development and under his guidance, the Samueli School undergraduate engineering program climbed eight spots in two years among public universities, as reported in the U.S. News & World Report rankings. He also secured a $9.5 million gift in support of the school’s efforts to engage a more diverse student population through STEM outreach.
Prior to his arrival at UCI, Washington served as the interim dean for the College of Engineering at The Ohio State University. As a professor of mechanical engineering, Washington has been involved in multi-domain research for the last 20 years. His core area of interest lies in the area of dynamic systems, with an emphasis on modeling and control of smart material systems and devices. He has been involved in the design and control of mechanically actuated antennas, advanced automotive systems incorporating smart materials, hybrid electric vehicles, and structural position and vibration control with smart materials.
He has conducted research for a host of organizations including the National Science Foundation, NASA, General Motors Co., the Air Force Research Laboratory and the U.S. Army Research Office. Washington has served as a member of the U.S. Air Force Scientific Advisory Board, NSF Engineering Advisory Committee, Institute for Defense Analyses and numerous other boards.
Washington is a recipient of the NSF Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Award and a Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and was the vice chair of the Engineering Deans Council of the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE). He holds bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in mechanical engineering from North Carolina State University.