We recently provided Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing, and Fire Protection design services to renovate areas of Research Hall at George Mason University. The areas will serve as the interim space for the College of Engineering and Computing’s new interdisciplinary program in Artificial Intelligence (AI).

The new program will be led by Dr. Mary “Missy” Cummings, PhD, an engineer and one of the U.S. Navy’s first female fighter pilots. Dr. Cummings became a fighter pilot after the Combat Exclusion Policy was repealed in 1993 and faced a great deal of discrimination and hostility in the fighter pilot community. Dr. Cummings comes to George Mason with a vast background in several engineering disciplines. She has most recently served as senior safety advisor to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Dr. Cummings is concerned that there is a genuine technical illiteracy problem when it comes to understanding how AI is constructed and what its limitations are. Her goal for the new program is to train a workforce that is literate in AI and therefore understands the inherent weaknesses.

To accommodate the unique needs of the Drone Aviary, the renovated 8,000 sq foot space includes several mounting tracks for cameras, devices, and a curtain system that can divide the room into quadrants.

HENRY ADAMS’ mechanical design included the HVAC system and associated controls and the electrical included power and lighting. The plumbing scope included sanitary, venting, and water. We also designed the fire alarms and sprinkler systems, and the infrastructure for communications and electronic safety and security. We are grateful for the opportunity to contribute to this innovative program led by a pioneer among women engineers.