George Hazelrigg

George Hazelrigg is an Adjunct Professor and Affiliate Faculty in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at George Mason University, with a career spanning academia, industry, and the National Science Foundation (NSF). He earned BS and MS degrees in mechanical engineering from NJIT, and MA, MSE, and PhD in aerospace engineering from Princeton University.

• Education: PhD, MSE, MA in Aerospace Engineering (Princeton University); MS, BS in Mechanical Engineering (NJIT)

Hazelrigg’s research focuses on systems engineering and engineering design decision-making, with current work supported by the NSF titled “Toward a Theory of Systems Engineering.” This project explores mathematical foundations for optimizing design requirements and validating systems engineering processes.

His publications from 2019–2025 emphasize systems engineering theory, model validation, tolerancing, decision-making under uncertainty, and pedagogical approaches. Recent work addresses incentive structures, differentiable variables in design, and validation frameworks.

Throughout his career, Hazelrigg has taught at prestigious institutions including Princeton University, UC San Diego, and Ajou University in Korea. At the NSF, he managed research programs across four divisions, oversaw $210 million in annual budgets, and served as deputy and acting division director for the Division of Civil, Mechanical, and Manufacturing Innovation (CMMI).