Just weeks into his new role as director of operations and facilities projects at George Mason University’s College of Engineering and Computing (CEC), Kevin Hicks faced an unexpected challenge: a lithium battery fire in a campus lab. The incident sparked an investigation and led to a collaboration with Environmental Health & Safety (EHS) to develop a new battery safety guideline and better enforcement of the policy restricting electric scooters and bikes from campus buildings. Now responsible for creating and maintaining lab spaces for researchers and students throughout the college, Hicks has combined technical problem-solving with organizational leadership throughout his career.
“I came up in technical roles as an engineer,” he recalled. After earning his mechanical engineering degree from Georgia Tech, he spent nearly three decades in high-volume semiconductor manufacturing, including 23 years at Micron Technology. “Then I got into a leadership role and realized, well, I don’t know that much about how business operates or about leading people,” he explained. To fill that gap, Hicks enrolled in George Mason’s MBA program while working full-time. “I loved it,” he said. “I really grew very fond of Mason—the campus, the people, the professors were great.”
His positive experience at the university ignited a desire to give back. In 2015, Hicks joined the Mechanical Engineering Department’s Advisory Board, when the program was in its infancy. For the next decade, Hicks advised faculty on industry needs, mentored students, and hosted tours at Micron. “I love giving students insight into what they need for industry,” he said. “That’s one of the biggest mysteries when you’re about to graduate: What am I actually going to do?”
Hicks embraced the chance to bring his industry experience to the university full-time this year, shifting from supporting high-tech manufacturing to orchestrating dozens of specialized research spaces across four campuses. “We have a lot of interesting and different things happening,” he said. “Robotics, 3D printing, fluids, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence—you name it.”
Hicks’ priority is creating environments where research can thrive. “There’s a technical component, but also a very human component of working with professors, students, and facilities,” he said, adding, “I’d love to bring efficiency and process improvements from manufacturing into academia.”
From robotics labs to advanced computing spaces, Hicks is committed to ensuring that George Mason’s researchers have the resources they need to push boundaries. As the university expands its footprint, his goal is clear: deliver safe, efficient, state-of-the-art facilities that empower researchers and prepare students for the real world.