doctoral students

Beginning a PhD is rarely straightforward. Beginning one just as the world shuts down adds an entirely new dimension to adaptability. For George Mason University biosciences PhD student Matthew Lefkowitz, that quality would come to define his doctoral journey.

When doctoral student Rooshna Mohsin arrived at George Mason University from New Jersey, she came with a clear purpose: to deepen her research in environmental and reproductive health and work alongside faculty whose scholarship aligned with her own ambitions.

George Mason University doctoral candidate Jolypich Pek is using advanced statistical modeling in collaboration with Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory to address complex physics problems and support the development of faster, more computationally efficient scientific simulation tools.

George Mason University PhD candidate in environmental engineering Xiaorong Shan was selected as a COVES Policy Fellow, where she will apply data‑driven research to support environmental justice and regulatory decision‑making at the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality this summer.

Megan Sharkey is hoping her research on teacher well-being will give districts and divisions the insights needed to get teachers the support they need.

On February 11, 2026, Olesya Vartanyan, a first-year PhD student at George Mason's Carter School and conflict analyst with more than 15 years of field experience in the South Caucasus, took part in a congressional briefing on the political situation in Georgia. The event was hosted by the U.S. Helsinki Commission, a bipartisan body bringing together members of both the House of Representatives and the Senate.

Jessye Gassel has always been fascinated with spinning bodies. Gassel found herself looking forward to her high school physics class every day and knew, by junior year, that she would pursue it in college. A senior-year astronomy class honed that direction toward astrophysics.

George Mason doctoral student Caroline Toth looks at how adolescents’ social media use is associated with the structure of their in-person friendship networks. Her research shows that friendships were more likely among youth with similar levels of problematic social media use and digital status seeking.

Loveline Phillips never contemplated the academic path she found at the Schar School. But now that she’s discovered how her research skills can help others, there’s no stopping her.

George Mason University recently held its first-ever Qualitative Research Day, an event for PhD students of all disciplines to engage in hands-on and interactive opportunities with the goal of learning new qualitative research techniques and methodologies. The inaugural event is the latest innovation in George Mason’s ongoing efforts to find new ways to support its PhD students.