News

April 2026 Newsletter

April 30, 2026

April 2026 Newsletter

Toy car driving up stacks of coins

John Helveston Highlights Opportunities Amid Chinese Car Ban Debates

April 29, 2026

In the South China Morning Post, EMSE Prof. John Helveston discussed the letter signed by over 70 Democrats, urging against backing down on allowing Chinese automakers in the US market.

Dr. Michael Plesniak

Illinois Tech Honors Michael Plesniak with Distinguished Alumni Award

April 28, 2026

MAE Professor and Department Chair Michael Plesniak received the 2026 Distinguished Alumni Award from Illinois Tech, where he lectured on vortex dynamics and human speech pathologies.

Competition winners

Dear Curls Wins Top Prize in 2026 GW New Venture Competition

April 28, 2026

GW Engineering student Judy Marouf and her teammate won first place in GW’s 2026 New Venture Competition for Dear Curls, an AI-powered hair care app.

Students presenting research

Designing for Impact: GW Engineering Shows off Student Research

April 27, 2026

Across the Science & Engineering Hall on April 24, 112 innovative projects were exhibited at GW Engineering’s 2026 Research & Development and Senior Design Showcase.

Woman holding dry cleaning

PhD Student Launches AI-Enabled Laundry Startup, Washera

April 23, 2026

GW Engineering PhD student Ali Alawad launched Washera, an AI-enabled laundry startup featured in FFX Now for its innovative automated locker and cloud-based platform.

Interim Provost John Lach and President Ellen M. Granberg celebrated this year’s Distinguished Scholars.

Marc-Andre Berthin Named GW Engineering's 2026 Distinguished Scholar

April 23, 2026

At the annual Academic Honors Ceremony, GW Engineering announced that mechanical engineering major Marc-Andre Berthin was selected as our school's 2026 Distinguished Scholar!

Science & Engineering Hall

April’s Local Hero: Sydney Smith

April 22, 2026

Each month, we highlight members of GW Engineering's administrative team, whose tireless work keeps our school moving forward. Take the time to meet April’s Local Hero, Sydney Smith!

Professor Shahram Sarkani

Advancing Excellence in Engineering Education and Research

Shahram Sarkani Appointed L. Stanley Crane Professor of Engineering

April 20, 2026

For four decades, Sarkani has had a transformative impact on engineering education and research at GW–exemplifying the vision and enduring legacy of the Crane Professorship.

GW Engineering staff members Forogh Kohestani, Ava Williams, and Diyora Shodmonova pose at the Giving Day celebration in the Science and Engineering Hall (SEH).

GW Engineering Community Shines on GW Giving Day 2026

April 16, 2026

On April 7th and 8th, GW celebrated Giving Day 2026, and the GW Engineering community came together to champion the school and help write its next chapter.

Assistant Professor Xitong Liu introduced a research spotlight and capabilities panel.

Energy Innovation and Arctic Collaboration Explored at GW Seminar

April 13, 2026

CEE Professor Xitong Liu recently attended a GW-hosted seminar that brought together leaders in diplomacy, policy, research, and innovation from the United States and Finland.

Power lines

Navigating Energy Competition in Emerging Markets

April 10, 2026

In an issue brief for the Atlantic Council, alumnus Steven Burns examines the challenges the U.S. faces in competing with China for influence in developing-country energy markets.