Welcome to the UMass Boston Research Magazine
A Message from the Provost
This is an exciting and dynamic time for research and scholarship at UMass Boston.
UMass Boston’s research is more important than ever before as we generate cutting-edge knowledge and develop contributions to the solutions that are needed to address the vexing challenges of our times.
We continue - through the dedicated work of PIs, their teams, and ORSP - to excel in generating record amounts of sponsored research. Our ascension into the ranks of R1 universities is a testament to our productivity and impact. We are particularly proud that the quality of our work and its impact at local, national, and global levels is the hallmark of UMass Boston’s significant research accomplishments.
I applaud the achievements of our researchers as they continue to excel in this vitally important mission-driven work.
Joseph Berger, PhD
Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs
A Message from the Vice Provost for Research and Strategic Initiatives
Traditionally, research activity was confined to silos defined by subject matter expertise. However, current and future challenges require the need to emphasize research convergence, where perspectives from multiple disciplines act as inputs targeting a single or set of meaningful outputs. This has long been a motivation at UMass Boston, where many researchers focus on meaningful research with real world implications. Of course, an important qualification is that the timeline for realizing significance can be quite varied depending on the problem being addressed. In this issue, we spotlight a sampling of the compelling work our faculty and their teams are focused on that impact either our understanding of the past or opportunities for the future.
Areas such as quantum physics, artificial intelligence, environmental challenges, and education for the future are some instances where our researchers are growing programs, collaborating with external partners, developing learning and career opportunities for students, and uncovering creative ways to solve urgent and complex problems.
Impact often begins with a spark of connection. We hope these articles inspire you and, if you notice synergies, we welcome you to reach out and engage with the campus community.
Bala Sundaram, PhD
Vice Provost for Research and Strategic Initiatives
Professor of Physics