University of Massachusetts

05/29/2026

UMass Dartmouth researchers are advancing the Commonwealth's oyster industry through a new "digital twin" for shellfish aquaculture, supported by a $1.4 million grant from the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative.

Bringing together experts from UMass Dartmouth's School for Marine Science & Technology, College of Engineering, and the Charlton College of Business, the project will use a digital twin to virtually replicate a physical system – using smart sensors, autonomous vehicles, and predictive AI to give oyster growers real-time insights to make safer, smarter, and more sustainable decisions.

Beyond improving operations, the project will help tell the story of Massachusetts oysters as a premium, sustainable product—supporting local aquaculture, creating new business opportunities, and strengthening coastal communities and Massachusetts' blue economy.

Learn more: https://www.umassd.edu/news/2026/mass-tech-collab-aquaculture.html

UMass Dartmouth Charlton College of Business
UMass Dartmouth School for Marine Science & Technology

The grant will fund an initiative that leverages cutting-edge technology to advance the Massachusetts oyster industry

05/28/2026

This summer, Worcester high school students will step inside the world of medicine through a hands-on, immersive experience led by UMass Chan Medical School students.

MD CAMP—Community, Access, Mentorship, and Purpose—is a free, two-week program led by first- and second-year medical students that brings medicine to life. Students will participate in interactive lectures, physician shadowing, patient interviews, and clinical simulations while exploring fields such as anatomy, pathology, nutrition, and clinical medicine.

They’ll also get real-world practice with skills such as CPR, ultrasound, suturing, phlebotomy, airway management, and emergency care scenarios.

“We want to show these students that a medical career is possible for them, and this is a space where they belong...I think that this program will be a great way to give them a connection to medicine,” UMass Chan med student Pamela Kote.

Learn more about this exciting summer program:

The camp is free and is accepting applications from high school students in the Worcester Public Schools system.

05/25/2026

In remembrance of Memorial Day, University of Massachusetts employees joined more than 600 volunteers on Boston Common, coming together as a community to plant over 37,000 American flags honoring fallen Massachusetts service members.

Thank you to everyone who participated, and to Home Base for organizing this tradition of remembrance and supporting veterans and their families.

05/21/2026

More than 12 million young people in the U.S. experience a mental health disorder each year, yet many cannot access the care they need.

UMass Boston’s newly approved Community Health Worker certification, with a specialization in therapeutic mentoring, helps address this growing gap in care. Approved by the Massachusetts Board of Certification of Community Health Workers, the online program prepares participants to work as therapeutic mentors with youth under 21, providing guidance, skill-building, and support as they navigate mental and behavioral health challenges.

A meaningful step toward strengthening the mental health workforce and expanding access to care across Massachusetts.

Learn more about this program:

UMass Boston has received approval from the Massachusetts Board of Certification of Community Health Workers for its Community Health Worker certification with a specialization in therapeutic mentoring, creating expanded opportunities for paraprofessionals and frontline staff seeking careers in yout...

05/20/2026

Chummeng Soun '21, seen here performing in "A Khmer Swan Lake," will use his Fulbright to study efforts to preserve traditional dance in Cambodia.

05/18/2026

05/14/2026

Congratulations to Dr. Marcus Ruscetti of UMass Chan Medical School on receiving the prestigious 2026 Pershing Square Sohn Cancer Prize — which recognizes scientists who are accelerating cures for cancer through innovative research.

As part of the prize, Dr. Ruscetti will receive $750,000 to advance research focused on how senescent cells in the liver — cells that stop dividing due to stress or aging — create an immune-suppressive environment that enables pancreatic cancer to spread.

Ruscetti hopes to develop innovative treatment strategies that incorporate therapies targeting senescent cells or their inflammatory profiles to not only treat advanced disease but also potentially prevent metastasis in cancer patients.

Read more:

Marcus Ruscetti, PhD, received a $750,000 2026 Pershing Square Sohn Cancer Prize to advance his lab’s pancreatic cancer research.

05/13/2026

As UMass Lowell prepares to celebrate the this Saturday, one mother-son duo will celebrate a milestone that reflects years of perseverance, sacrifice, and determination.

Years after putting her own college dreams on hold to raise quadruplets, Maureen Whitcomb will cross the commencement stage alongside her son Bryce — the last of her four children to graduate from UMass Lowell.

Maureen represents something powerful: that it’s never too late to pursue your goals. “It doesn’t matter how old you are,” Whitcomb says. “You can do it.”

Read their remarkable story: https://brnw.ch/21x2sde

05/08/2026

At UMass Amherst, exceptional teaching is at the heart of the student experience—and it shows.

Congratulations to the five recipients of the 2025–26 Faculty Distinguished Teaching Awards, a recognition that has honored outstanding educators for more than 60 years. These faculty members are redefining what it means to engage, inspire, and empower students—both inside and beyond the classroom.

From hands-on, experiential learning environments to inclusive, student-centered approaches, this year’s awardees exemplify the innovation and dedication that make UMass a leader in public higher education.

Join us in celebrating their impact and commitment to excellence:

The Center for Teaching and Learning has announced the five recipients of the 2025-26 Faculty Distinguished Teaching Awards, an honor presented for more than 60 years to instructors at UMass Amherst who demonstrate exemplary teaching at the highest level.

05/07/2026

The University of Massachusetts continues to expand access, advance groundbreaking research, and strengthen opportunity across the Commonwealth.

In his 2026 State of the University message, President Marty Meehan reflects on the extraordinary momentum across our campuses — including increasing UMass-funded financial aid to $449 million, growing the UMass endowment by more than $1 billion, and ensuring that one in three in-state undergraduates now attends UMass tuition-free.

Watch the video to learn more about the progress we're making together to ensure UMass remains a leading economic and educational force in Massachusetts.

UMass Amherst | UMass Boston | UMass Dartmouth | UMass Lowell | UMass Chan Medical School | UMass Law