UNH Research

05/29/2026

05/29/2026

05/27/2026

05/27/2026

Federal research funding to UNH produces a lot more than knowledge. For every $100 in federal funding, UNH generates an additional $77 in economic activity!

That’s according to a recent report from the Donahue Institute at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. UNH receives research grants and contracts from agencies such as the National Science Foundation, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NASA, or the National Institutes of Health.

“With investments from federal agencies, UNH research provides benefits to the state and the region that go beyond high-impact discoveries and a skilled workforce,” says Jennifer Miksis-Olds, interim vice president for research and innovation at UNH. “Federal research funding multiplies into dollars that flow to shops, restaurants, contractors, suppliers, and collaborators locally and across New Hampshire.”

More: https://bit.ly/4e5oKmG

05/18/2026

Congratulations to integrative biology Ph.D. student Kaila Frazer and bioengineering major Jack Reynolds ’26, who received prestigious Graduate Research Fellowships (GRFP) from the National Science Foundation. These fellowships include three years of financial support for students pursuing master’s or doctoral degrees in STEM fields, with an annual stipend and tuition allowance.

Frazer, from Seattle, will forecast marine heatwave occurrences in the Gulf of Maine to model their economic impacts on the region. She is studying with assistant professor of biology Easton White.

Reynolds, from Concord, will use the fellowship to pursue graduate study in neurosciences at the Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences in Jacksonville, Florida. He was mentored in professor Kyung Jae Jeong’s lab.

In addition, four UNH students received honorable mentions: graduate students Alanna Nenadich-Alvarez (Earth sciences), Margaret Krein (natural resources), Torin Scalora (natural resources), and undergraduate Jack Sullivan ’26 (chemical engineering).

UNH Engineering & Physical Sciences UNH College of Life Sciences and Agriculture

05/15/2026

Congratulations to the 93 scholars who received their Ph.D.s at this morning’s Graduate School commencement ceremony. After years of classes, research, teaching, AND a dissertation, these new doctors are launching their knowledge and discoveries into the world. Their disciplines span the university — English and engineering; oceanography and sociology. Physics graduated 11 Ph.D.s, the largest number, followed by eight new doctors from the Natural Resources and Earth System Sciences program.

In addition, the ceremony celebrated UNH 23 Doctor of Nursing Practice graduates, 13 Doctor of Occupational Therapy graduates, and one Doctor of Education Graduate.

Congratulations! We’’re excited to watch their next chapters.

05/06/2026

UNH's Innovator of the Year isn't waiting for bridges to fail. He's building tools to ensure they stay standing for longer.

Yashar Azam, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering, develops digital twins — virtual replicas of real structures that evolve over time using live sensor data. His patented work extends their reach to 100-year timescales, giving engineers a clearer picture of a structure's health long before problems appear.

The implications stretch from the 630,000 bridges across the U.S. to offshore wind turbines to aircraft — and carry both safety and sustainability stakes. "The less concrete you pour, the more environmentally friendly you are," Azam says.

He's now working to bring the technology to market. Read more: https://www.unh.edu/news/2026/04/innovator-years-technology-making-our-bridges-structures-safer?utm_campaign=facebook&utm_content=1777917305&utm_medium=20260504&utm_source=fb

UNH Research

04/30/2026

The spring issue of Inquiry, UNH’s undergraduate research journal, is live! In it, 10 undergrads present their scholarly work about:

- The complex relationship between driving and dementia 🚗
- Kidney disease in captive cheetahs 🐆
- The molecular roots of harmful algal blooms 🧪
- A comparison between U.S. and China’s AI implementation in judicial systems ⚖️
- Eating habits of first responders 🚒
- Making a documentary about Portsmouth’s Italian community 🇮🇹

Read about these research projects and others: https://www.unh.edu/inquiryjournal/spring-2026-issue