UMass Dartmouth Annual Research Report 2024 by UMass Dartmouth

ANNUAL RESEARCH REPORT 2024

Acknowledgments

Office of Research Administration

Office of Research Development

Office of the Provost

Office of Technology

Commercialization and Ventures

Data

Catherine Palmer

Designer Kevin DeAquair

Photos courtesy

Levante Anderson

Tailyn Clark

Kindra Clineff

Karl Dominey

Elizabeth Friar

Jonathan Hillyer

Scott Indermaur

San Nguyen

Jennifer White

Writers

Kelsey Healey

David James

Ryan Merrill

At the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, our commitment to research is a fundamental component of our academic mission. We are proud to be one of 93 public universities nationwide with an R2 designation. But what really makes us unique is our size. According to U.S. News & World Report, UMass Dartmouth is one of the country's top 10 public research universities with fewer than 10,000 students.

In practical terms, that means that every day, our students learn and research alongside internationally recognized scholars who have garnered accolades from peers, international organizations, and prestigious funding agencies for their outstanding research accomplishments in fields of critical significance.

Faculty are conducting research of societal impact across a wide range of disciplines, from improving cybersecurity to pioneering the early detection of ovarian cancer to testing the limits of the Internet of Things, and advances in polymer manufacturing. UMass Dartmouth’s prowess in the blue economy and related industries are contributing significantly to our region on the SouthCoast of Massachusetts while simultaneously addressing issues of global importance. Research programs in our School for Marine Science and Technology and College of Engineering encompass discoveries in hydrodynamics, ocean modeling, forecasting, and ways to explore our waters autonomously. Coupled with these technologies is a focus on sustainability, including climate reduction planning for coastal regions and disadvantaged communities.

UMass Dartmouth is a catalyst for socioeconomic mobility and intellectual advancement. Whether in the classroom, the lab, or out in the field, we provide students with extraordinary experiential learning opportunities that will prepare the next generation of innovators and scholars.

Sincerely,

Mark A. Fuller, PhD Chancellor

Dr. Yanlai Chen, a mathematics professor and machine learning researcher, was appointed Chief Research Officer in the spring of 2024. A member of the Department of Mathematics since 2010, Dr. Chen brings a wealth of experience in advancing research and scholarship and a strong track record of securing funding from major federal agencies such as the National Science Foundation, the Air Force Office of Scientific Research, and the Office of Naval Research.

UMass Dartmouth names Yanlai Chen the university's next Chief Research Officer

As Co-Graduate Program Director of the Engineering and Applied Science PhD program, he oversaw the expansion of the EAS program from 4 to 6 tracks, notably introducing the highly sought-after Machine Learning and Data Science PhD track.

Dr. Chen also established and led the ACCOMPLISH scholarship program, which provides multifaceted financial and social support alongside a contextualized, computing-centered educational framework for STEM students. This initiative intends to prepare them to compete successfully in graduate school and careers in high-demand STEM fields.

In his role as Chief Research Officer, Dr. Chen provides leadership in advancing the university's research mission by promoting growth in research, scholarship, and creative work across all colleges and schools. He is committed to developing strong relationships with university stakeholders, government agencies, industry partners, granting agencies, and other external collaborators.

Dear Colleagues,

I'm thrilled to present this Annual Report on Research, Scholarship, and Innovation, celebrating the extraordinary work being done by UMass Dartmouth researchers. We are proud to solidify our status as a Doctoral Research University with high research activity, and our robust research enterprise is a key factor in our success.

In FY24, UMass Dartmouth’s research portfolio reached nearly $116 million, a remarkable 20% increase from FY23 and nearly double what it was in FY20. We secured over $28 million in new awards, and our research expenditures soared to an all-time high of more than $23 million.

This growth is a testament to our world-class faculty, who are at the forefront of new discoveries and innovation. Their work has garnered both national and international acclaim. In FY24, Associate Professors Arpita Joardar (Management & Marketing) and Shakhnoza Kayumova (STEM Education & Teacher Development) were honored as U.S. Fulbright Scholars. Notable funding achievements include Assistant Professor Nefeli Bompoti of Civil and Environmental Engineering securing $1 million in EPA grants during her first year, Biology alumna Katrina Velle ’12 returning to UMassD with multiple six-figure research grants totaling $850K, Assistant Professor Hangjian Ling of Mechanical Engineering receiving a $505K NSF CAREER grant for student education and research, and SMAST faculty obtaining $4.9 million for sea scallop research alone. Additionally, we secured $4.3 million from the Office of Naval Research to support the MUST program. These highlights represent just a fraction of the extraordinary discoveries, inventions, and creative work flourishing as we partner with government, industry, and communities to serve the commonwealth and beyond.

We have also made significant internal strides to promote, recognize, and invest in scholarship across all disciplines, from STEM to Business to the Arts and Humanities. This year, the school allocated $8 million in state funding to support Blue Economy Initiatives, enhancing our impact on the regional blue economy and the sustainability of coastal and ocean resources. A portion of this funding will significantly strengthen our core facilities for both internal and external stakeholders.

Supporting scholarship is a collective effort, and I am deeply grateful for the tireless work of everyone in the Office of Research and Innovation and our partners across campus. As we continue to fulfill the research mission of our great University, we look forward to making an even greater impact in addressing global challenges, creating a sustainable future, and fostering a healthier community in the Southcoast, the Commonwealth, and beyond.

Sincerely,

Dr. Yanlai Chen Chief Research Officer

2024

The University Scholars/Research Fellows Program's purpose is to support research and scholarly efforts of tenured and tenuretrack faculty in the humanities, social sciences, arts, and business. These awards are expected to result in publications of original work and displays of juried artistic/creative work, as well as support the pursuit of external funding, where appropriate, to support scholarship and creative work. The Fellows publicly present their projects in the fall semester.

University Scholars and Research Fellows announced

Provost Balasubramanian recognizes five UMassD faculty members for their innovative work

2024 Faculty Fellows:

Prof. Aneesa Baboolal (Crime and Justice Studies)

• Topic: Resisting Islamophobia, Xenophobia, and Anti-Black Racism on Campus: An Exploratory Analysis of Marginalized Student Experiences

Prof. Suzanne Schireson (Art and Design)

• Topic: Intersections of Care and Creative Practice

Prof. Leili Soltanisehat (Decision and Information Sciences)

• Topic: Integrative Framework for the Sustainable Supply Chains: From Operational to ESG-Based

Prof. Alexis Teagarden (English and Communication)

• Topic: Co-Editing a Special Issue on Teaching Writing through Risk and Failure

Prof. Brian Williams (History)

• Topic: Mosquito Squadron. How the Ukrainians (who don't Have a navy) Sank One Third of Russia's Black Sea Fleet

Two faculty members named U.S. Fulbright Scholars

Professors Arpita Joardar and Shakhnoza Kayumova win prestigious fellowships for their global research

Associate Professor of Management & Marketing Arpita Joardar and Associate Professor of STEM Education & Teacher Development Shakhnoza Kayumova were both named U.S. Fulbright Scholars for the spring semester of 2024.

Joardar taught international management at the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Indore, from February to July 2024, following a separate stint as a visiting faculty member in France during the winter session of 2023-2024.

"I feel extremely fortunate to have received this — not just for the prestige associated with the award, but also for the amazing learning opportunity it provided," said Joardar. "This opportunity helped me grow personally and professionally. Personally, it allowed me to spend an extended period of time in India, which I'd not done in a very long time, and, beyond that, the opportunity to see a new part of India. Professionally, I got to learn from and collaborate with my peers and other scholars in India."

Kayumova conducted research in Uzbekistan during the spring semester of 2024, where she analyzed the gender gap and gender equity in STEM education by documenting the narratives of women who have succeeded in STEM fields. Kayumova also took residency at Tashkent State University of Economics (TSUE) in Uzbekistan.

I was deeply honored and humbled to have been chosen for this award. The Fulbright is highly esteemed worldwide and has a rigorous selection process. The recognition is far beyond what I could have ever expected, and I consider it a testimony to the collective efforts of all those who have supported and worked with me throughout my journey."

Shakhnoza Kayumova

Associate Professor of STEM Education & Teacher Development

New faculty

receive substantial grants

Three rising stars earn large grants in their first year as assistant professors.

Assistant Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering Nefeli Bompoti joined UMassD in the fall of 2023 and quickly bolstered the university's research efforts, obtaining two $500k grants from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) before the end of her second semester.

The first grant intends to help support and enhance the data, reporting, and evidence-building capacity of EPA grant recipients representing small, underserved, and/or Tribal communities. The second award investigates the outcomes of redevelopment efforts of brownfields and strategies for redevelopment that prioritize equity and social justice as well as sustainability.

grants in first year on campus

Assistant Professor of Biology and UMassD biology

alumna Katrina Velle '12 returned to campus for the start of the 2024 spring semester with a grant from the NIH worth $746,999 over three years and a $105,270 from Amazing Aven's Quest for Amoeba Awareness, a nonprofit organization that aims to raise awareness for and prevent brain-eating amoeba infections.

Velle's research centers around understanding the biology of amoebae, with hopes of uncovering new treatments. Naegleria fowleri is a braineating amoeba that thrives in warm freshwater, such as lakes in warm weather states. As climates have changed this century, the amoeba's range has expanded north and presents a growing danger. Unfortunately, there are no reliable treatments for Naegleria fowleri, leading to a 95% fatality rate. Roughly 70% of those affected are children under the age of 15.

Assistant Professor of Biology Sarah Donelan was awarded a $304,351 NSF grant at the start of the 2023-24 school year that aims to investigate how oysters exposed to two important climate change stressors – warming and low dissolved oxygen – at different life stages can have lasting impacts on their development, physiology, and population dynamics. This work will provide crucial insights into climate change's potential ecological and economic consequences on wild and farmed oysters.

The Marine and UnderSea Technology Research Program (MUST) at UMass Dartmouth is a multidisciplinary research initiative aimed at advancing marine technology and undersea applications. MUST was formed to address the needs of the United States Navy: new sources of cutting-edge research and the development of a highly trained workforce. The program's research areas include autonomous underwater vehicles, battery systems, biofouling, composite materials, modeling ocean dynamics, undersea acoustics for communications and sensing technologies, AI/Machine Learning, and cybersecurity.

The program brings together experts from various fields to address challenges in the blue economy and enhance the resilience of marine infrastructure. MUST also emphasizes collaboration with industry and government partners to drive innovation and develop practical solutions for the marine sector. MUST collaborates with the Rhode Islandbased Naval Undersea Warfare Center, regional marine science and technology industries, and higher education institutions from across southern New England.

To date, MUST has received more than $19.5M and funded 48 research projects, bringing together regional and national collaborators to strengthen the Navy's access to cutting-edge research and build a pipeline for a highly trained workforce.

2024 Technical Review

Faculty and students from the College of Engineering, the College of Arts and Sciences, and the School for Marine Science and Technology joined industry experts for a review of ongoing MUST research projects. Corporate, research, and academic partners from Purvis Systems, the Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC), Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA), and the University of New Orleans were in attendance.

The Marine and UnderSea Technology Research

MUST's impact on the campus has been tremendous. It has significantly accelerated our work in marine science and technology, advancing solutions to many naval problems. MUST continues to meet the two greatest needs of the US Navy - cutting-edge research and a skilled, technical workforce."

Ramprasad Balasubramanian, PhD

Founding Director of MUST

Provost / Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs

UnderSea Research Program

MUST [ [

MUST V

The latest award from the Office of Naval Research is the fifth in a series of grants in support of the MUST program at UMass Dartmouth. A total of $4,290,264 supports 11 new projects in the fields of mechanical engineering, marine acoustics, cybersecurity, ocean sensing, ocean modeling, and more.

The UMass Dartmouth Marine UnderSea Technology (MUST) program is a sterling example of academic research contributing to Blue Economy and National Security objectives as well as producing the next generation of scientists and engineers. The Office of Naval Research is proud to support MUST faculty and students working on cutting-edge undersea science and technology."

Tom Drake Director of the Ocean Battlespace Sensing Department at the Office of Naval Research

Hangjian Ling receives $505K NSF CAREER award

The award provides funding for research and student training in hydrodynamics and marine technology

Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering Hangjian Ling received an NSF CAREER grant in the amount of $505,075 for student education and research. The grant will fund his project titled: "CAREER: Diffusive and Convective Gas Dissolution over Super-Hydrophobic Surfaces." In this project, Dr. Ling aims to understand the gas dissolution process over super-hydrophobic surfaces through innovative experiments and develop new strategies to extend the longevity of super-hydrophobic surfaces. Through a combination of lab-based research and hands-on learning, the project aims to provide students with training in fluid dynamics with applications in the marine industry and continue to strengthen UMass Dartmouth's position as a driver of the blue economy.

The Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Program provides the National Science Foundation's most prestigious awards in support of early-career faculty who have the potential to serve as academic role models in research and education and to lead advances in the mission of their department or organization.

Changsheng Chen receives $572K from the U.S. Coast Guard

Commonwealth Professor and Montgomery Charter Chair Changsheng Chen received $571,878 in research funding from the U.S. Coast Guard for the project, "Development of a Fully Coupled, Nonhydrostatic, Marine Infrastructure-Resolving, Atmospheric, and Ocean Model System."

Funds support research to enhance naval operations' effectiveness by improving understanding of complex ocean processes.

The project aims to enhance the Coast Guard's operational capabilities and superiority at sea by effectively resolving the fine spatial and temporal variability of oceanic waves, mixing and convection processes, as well as high-frequency internal wave propagation and dissipation. The objective of this project is to enhance the prediction of air-sea interaction processes in marine boundaries by establishing a fully coupled, non-hydrostatic, infrastructure-resolving atmospheric-ocean model system over the U.S. Northeast shelf.

This initiative also provides scholarship funding and experience in ocean modeling for an undergraduate student in computer science.

Mark Altabet receives $336K Collaborative Research grant from the NSF

Professor and Chair of the Department of Estuarine and Ocean Sciences Mark Altabet received a $336,586 award from the National Science Foundation for his project, "Collaborative Research: Deciphering the mechanisms of marine nitrous oxide cycling using stable isotopes, molecular markers and in situ rates."

Nitrous oxide (N2O) is a powerful greenhouse gas, and a driver of ozone depletion in the stratosphere. Marine low-oxygen regions are important for N2O cycling and are a large source of N2O to the atmosphere. The Arabian Sea in the northwest Indian Ocean hosts one of the world's largest lowoxygen zones, but it is less well-studied than other regions. In partnership with researchers in the U.S. and India, this team led by Dr. Altabet will combine geochemical and microbial ecology approaches to study N2O cycling in the Arabian Sea.

The award supports researchers studying nitrous oxide (N2O) cycling in the Arabian Sea.

SMAST faculty receive a combined $4.9M for sea scallop research

Scallop research set-aside programs support research while promoting collaboration between scientists and fishers

Faculty at the UMass Dartmouth School for Marine Science and Technology (SMAST) have received a combined total of $4,898,059 in this year's NOAA Fisheries Atlantic Sea Scallop Research Set-Aside (RSA) Program. Selected projects are led by SMAST Dean and Commonwealth Professor Kevin Stokesbury, Commonwealth Professor and Montgomery Charter Chair Changsheng Chen, and Assistant Research Professor Adam Delargy.

Through the Scallop RSA Program, the New England Fishery Management Council “sets aside” scallop poundage to generate funds for scallop research projects. RSA awards provide funding for research and compensation for fishing industry partners who harvest the scallops. These programs support

research that informs fishery management decisions, and foster collaboration between the fishing industry and scientific community, leading to more informed and effective management of scallop resources.

Over the last two decades, research performed by Stokesbury and SMAST scientists has proven crucial to the revival of the scallop fishing industry in the SouthCoast.

Kathryn Wassel receives grant for climate pollution reduction planning

Grant aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in RI and the MA SouthCoast.

Assistant Teaching Professor of Public Policy Kathryn Wassel was awarded a $270,000 grant to spearhead crucial climate pollution reduction planning efforts in the Providence-Warwick Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), including the SouthCoast of Massachusetts.

Funded through the Environmental Protection Agency's Climate Pollution Reduction Grant (CPRG) program, one of dozens of programs created through the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), the project aims to address the causes of climate pollution and mitigate the effects of greenhouse gas emissions in the region, particularly in low-income and disadvantaged communities (LIDAC). Wassel's work will include the LIDAC benefits analysis, and a workforce analysis centered on green job opportunities for the region.

"The work we are doing under the CPRG program represents an unprecedented crossborder effort to recognize and address climate pollution in the region," says Wassel. "This planning process is unique, not only for its regional focus but also its focus on workforce and resilient development that will have lasting impacts across the MSA."

The work we are doing under the CPRG program represents an unprecedented cross-border effort to recognize and address climate pollution in the region. This planning process is unique, not only for its regional focus but also its focus on workforce and resilient development that will have lasting impacts across the MSA."

Kathryn Wassel Assistant Teaching Professor of

The project is unfolding in two main phases. The Preliminary Climate Action Plan (PCAP) phase, completed on March 1st, involved identifying priority greenhouse gas reduction sectors and actionable measures. Subsequently, the Comprehensive Climate Action Plan (CCAP) phase will build upon these initial findings to further analyze sectors and implement reduction actions.

Public Policy

Associate Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry

Patrick Cappillino and Associate Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry Maricris Mayes were awarded $330,643 from the National Science Foundation (NSF) for their project titled "Collaborative Research: Designing Solid Boosters and Electrolytes for Redox-Targeting Flow Batteries."

Patrick Cappillino and Maricris Mayes receive $330K for research on redox flow batteries

Redox flow batteries (RFBs) are considered one of the most promising energy storage technologies to enable the transition toward a carbon-neutral electricity grid. RFBs offer significant advantages, such as scalability and cost-effectiveness in longduration storage, but challenges like low solubility of redox-active species have hindered their efficiency. A novel approach to address this is using solid charge storage materials to increase capacity via indirect redox-targeting reactions. This method leverages both solid- and liquid-phase redox chemistry, combining high energy density with scalability and safety, ultimately contributing to the adoption of renewable energy and reducing emissions.

The project aims to deepen understanding of indirect redox targeting reactions by studying thermodynamics, reaction kinetics, and mass/charge transport. It highlights two key principles: (1) Metal hexacyanometallates (MHCMs) can adjust reduction potential to optimize reactions, and (2) the energy density depends on the amount of solid material, enabling moderate concentrations of electrolyte.

Liudong Xing receives $420K NSF grant

Professor of electrical and computer engineering awarded $420K for research on modeling and mitigating cascading failures in the Internet of Things.

Dr. Liudong Xing, professor of electrical and computer engineering, received a $420,766 award from the National Science Foundation (NSF) for her research project, "Cascading Failures Modeling and Mitigation in the Internet of Things."

The Internet of Things (IoT) refers to the vast network of devices that are connected to the internet and can exchange data with one another. Cascading failures occur when a single incident triggers a chain reaction of successive malfunctions in a system. Without timely and effective mitigation mechanisms, cascading failures often cause catastrophic results.

Dr. Xing's project aims to enhance the reliability and robustness of IoT-based systems by developing efficient cascading failure modeling and analysis methods as well as effective mitigation strategies to strengthen IoT systems' resilience to cascading failures. In addition, the project has educational components with the goals to help increase participation of underrepresented minorities, particularly women in computing and engineering, and to integrate research and education through new curriculum development and research training of both graduate and undergraduate students.

Computing & Data Science

UMass Dartmouth Center for Scientific Computing and Data Science Research hosts New England High-Performance Computing (HPC) Day

On November 3, 2023, the Center for Scientific Computing and Data Science Research at UMass Dartmouth hosted the New England High-Performance Computing Day, a conference bringing together scientists, scholars, and industry leaders from across the region. Keynote speakers included David Furrer, Principal Fellow Discipline Lead at Pratt & Whitney; George Karniadakis, Charles Pitts Robinson and John Palmer Barstow Professor of Applied Mathematics and Engineering at Brown University; and Carole-Jean Wu, Research Technical Lead Director at Meta AI.

Established in 2012, the Center is comprised of UMassD faculty from the Departments of Physics, Mathematics, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Computer and Information Science, and Fisheries Oceanography. The Center houses state-of-the-art computational clusters that give students and faculty access to sophisticated hardware tools that can be leveraged to solve large-scale parallel computing and data-intensive tasks.

Mechanical Engineering

Vijaya Chalivendra receives $405K NSF grant

The National Science Foundation awarded Dr. Vijaya Chalivendra $405,320 for the project: "Integrated Multiscale Computational and Experimental Investigations on Fracture of Additively Manufactured Polymer Composites."

3D printing is transitioning from demonstrative prototypes to functional products that impact a wide range of industrial sectors. However, many polymer-based 3D printed parts are prone to fracture and failure. To address this, researchers are developing a science-based approach that combines computer models with experiments to better predict and improve the strength and performance of these materials. The project aims to solve key issues like weak bonding between printed layers and inconsistencies caused by rapid temperature changes. These advancements will lead to more durable 3D-printed components for various industries. The research also includes educational outreach to engage students and underrepresented communities in STEM fields.

Professor of mechanical engineering awarded $405K for research on 3D-printed polymer composites .

Additionally, the project tackles several technical challenges in 3D printing, such as optimizing the relationship between material structure, printing process, and final product performance. It will use advanced simulations to study how tiny cracks form and grow in 3D-printed materials, and how temperature changes and material properties interact during printing. Machine learning will be applied to better predict fracture patterns, while experiments will validate the models, ultimately creating new tools for developing stronger materials.

Workers' Education Program

Workers' Education Program receives $1.2M in continued funding

The grant from the MA Dept of Elementary & Secondary Education provides continued support for adult education.

The UMass Dartmouth Workers’ Education Center (WEP) was created and is supported by the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth’s Labor Education Center. The program began in 1986, offering English classes to immigrant, union, and needle trades workers in their factories, and has grown steadily since.

The WEP and UMassD Labor Education Center are located in downtown New Bedford.

The program is grant-funded through the Adult and Community Learning Services division of the Mass Department of Elementary and Secondary Education with support from the university. The WEP offers English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), Adult Basic Education (ABE) and ESOL for Certified Nurse Assistant training. Over the years, WEP has provided classes in factories, union halls, and community centers across the New Bedford and Fall River areas.

Today, the program serves an average of 201 ESOL students and 82 ABE students, primarily from the Greater New Bedford area.

Undergraduate Research at UMassD

At UMass Dartmouth, our commitment to fostering a research-forward environment ensures that students are not only participants but key contributors to high-impact projects across disciplines.

UMass Dartmouth students receive NSF-REU awards

The National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduates (NSF REU) program supports intensive research by undergraduate students in any area of research funded by NSF.

UMass Dartmouth students received several NSF-REU grants in FY 2024, including:

Naomi Mwangi '25 (psychology), a first-generation college student from Brockton, MA, whose REU funded her research on Mind, Brain, Body, and Behavior at Emory University in Atlanta.

Shawn Koohy '24 (mathematics), an ACCOMPLISH scholar from Swansea, MA, who was accepted to the Directed Research for Undergraduates in Mathematics and Statistics (DRUMS) REU program at North Carolina State University.

Alexis Petty '24 (physics), an Honors student from Fairhaven, MA, who was accepted to an REU with the Harvard-MIT Program in Health Sciences and Technology (HST) at Mass General Hospital Wellman Center for Photomedicine.

Outstanding Scholarship and Mentorship

Awards were given for Outstanding Scholarship by students and Outstanding Mentorship by Faculty on Scholarship

UMass Dartmouth announced the recipients of the 2024 Outstanding Scholarship by Graduate and Undergraduate Students and Outstanding Mentorship by Faculty on Scholarship. Each winner received a plaque and $1000.

Faculty mentor awards:

Dr. Mary McCurry (adult nursing)

Dr. Michael Sherriff (biology)

Undergraduate student research awards:

Shawn Koohy (mathematics) was nominated by Dr. Yanlai Chen, Professor of Mathematics. Koohy's research has focused on applications of neural networks, and he has an impressive publication record already, with two journal papers and one about to be submitted. Koohy is now pursuing a PhD at the University of Pennsylvania.

Alejandra Ponce Lopez (psychology) was nominated by Dr. Kristen Sethares, Professor of Nursing. Alejandra’s APEX project “Impostor Syndrome and Diversity: Race, Ethnicity, and Generation” uses qualitative and quantitative data.

Office of Undergraduate Research issues 34 awards for student research projects

This marks 5 years of steady growth in support of undergraduate research at UMassD

The Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR) supports student engagement in research outside of the classroom and creative activities in all fields of study at UMass Dartmouth. In 2023-24, OUR continued to encourage and support students engaged in hands-on research, scholarly work, or creative activity.

Thirty-four students received OUR fall, spring, and summer research awards (18 College of Arts and Sciences, 11 College of Engineering, 3 College of Nursing and Health Sciences, and 2 College of Visual and Performing Arts). A total of $44,440 was awarded in grants, including $14,802 from the Honors College for summer grants.

Professor Jing Wang was awarded the Folk and Traditional Arts Apprenticeship Award sponsored by the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts (RISCA).

Folk and Traditional Arts Apprenticeships are designed to foster artistic skills between a mentor and an apprentice, particularly for individuals who share a common cultural heritage. Professor Wang is a renowned composer and performer on the instrument called an erhu (Chinese two-stringed violin). Wang’s apprentice will work on mastering the instrument and will perform for an audience.

Jonathan Kush's research wins Small Group Research's Article of the Year award

Research from Assistant Professor of Management and Marketing Jonathan Kush received Small Group Research's Best Paper Award in 2023-24 for his collaborative research, "A Text-Based Measure of Transactive Memory System Strength."

"Transactive memory is often described as the sense from team members that they have a good understanding of who knows what in a team," explains Kush. "There are a lot of settings where we may be interested in studying transactive memory systems (TMS), like in military teams or in emergency medical services units, but the tools we had weren't that conducive."

The paper, published with co-authors Brandy Aven and Linda Argote, faculty at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, PA, developed a method to assess the three indicators of TMS—specialization, credibility, and coordination—through computer-aided text analysis.

The research's results show that having more of certain types of communication is indicative of the extent of the development of a TMS. This paper is novel in demonstrating that the specific words included in conversations within a group can be used to assess the group's TMS level, and this assessment can be semi-automated with computers, removing a barrier to an unobtrusive assessment of TMS.

We hope that this research not only leads to more investigation of how TMS affects teams, but also for other researchers to leverage the method we developed to advance other unobtrusive measures of team collaboration."

Jonathan Kush Assistant Professor of Management and Marketing

Mark Santow published Saul Alinsky and the Dilemmas of Race:

Community Organizing in the Postwar City

Professor and Department of History Chairperson Mark Santow's book Saul Alinsky and the Dilemmas of Race: Community Organizing in the Postwar City was published in September 2023 by University of Chicago Press. The book focuses on the community organizer's attempts to grapple with the moral dilemma of race through his organizing efforts and writing. This groundbreaking work offers new insights on the politics of race, poverty, and social geography in the United States in the decades after World War II.

UMassD Research in the Media

Professor Mark Altabet (Estuarine & Ocean Sciences) was a featured expert opinion in a Nature article on an oxygen-deficient zone in the Pacific Ocean and how it informs the study of climate change's effects on the ocean.

Professor Brian Glyn Williams (History) was interviewed as part of a Rolling Stone article about his time spent with the anti-Taliban Uzbek Mongol warlord featured in his book The Last Warlord.

Associate Professor Nikolay Anguelov (Public Policy) was quoted in a Slate article about the implications of cheap, fast fashion clothing and its role in influencer culture.

Associate Professor Nikolay Anguelov (Public Policy) was featured in a Newsweek article about his research on the number of missing indigenous women in the U.S. and how it relates to the story told in the recently released film Killers of the Flower Moon.

Kevin Stokesbury, Dean of the School for Marine Science & Technology, was profiled in an article about his journey to becoming a dean, research on local waters, and academic career.

Professor Ken Manning (Political Science) was interviewed about former President Donald Trump's various investigations and lawsuits.

Associate Librarian Emma Wood was featured in a Business Insider article about the common misconceptions of libraries and their ability to connect communities and spread knowledge.

Professor Vijay Varma (Mathematics) his colleagues were highlighted by Business Insider for their analysis of gravitational wave data, which identified a rare binary black hole system, enhancing our understanding of black hole formation and galactic dynamics. Varma was also quoted in the book The Gravity of Math: How Geometry Rules the Universe, co-authored by Fields Medalist Shing-Tung Yau.

Professor Mahzad Hojjat (Psychology) was featured in an article in Oprah Daily. The article discusses the potential causes and consequences of ghosting in friendships.

Professor Doug Roscoe (Political Science) was featured in an ABC News article about the current issues within the Michigan, Arizona, and Georgia state republican parties, and potential ramifications during the 2024 presidential election.

Professor Chad McGuire (Public Policy) was featured in an article that detailed the impact of rising seas on the SouthCoast and mitigation strategies already in place. McGuire was also featured in an article about the changes in policy impacting coastal decision-making due to climate-induced sea level rise.

Associate Professor Lucas Mann (English & Communication) published an excerpt of his forthcoming book, Attachments, in Esquire

Professor Timothy Walker's (History) research project was part of a feature story in Smithsonian Magazine. The project uses the weather data from historical whaling logbooks to chart longitudinal climate change.

Som Bishoyi (EAS PhD student) was featured in Discover Magazine for his significant advancements in modeling gravitational wave signatures from fast-spinning black holes to detect potential "hairy" attributes.

Professor Viviane Saleh-Hanna (Crime & Justice Studies) co-edited Abolish Criminology, which presents critical scholarship on criminology and criminal justice ideologies and practices and emerging freedom-driven visions and practices for new world formations. The volume features chapters from Crime & Justice Studies faculty members Associate Professor Erin Katherine Krafft, Assistant Professor Vanessa Lynn Lovelace, Assistant Professor Toniqua Mikell, and Saleh-Hanna's. Also featured are chapters written by Charlemya Erasme ('18; MS,'20) and Tatiana Lopes DosSantos

As we reflect on another year of growth and achievement at UMass Dartmouth. we are pleased to share with you the highlights of our sponsored research activities in the FY2024 Annual Report. The research enterprise at UMass Dartmouth continues to thrive, driving innovation, advancing knowledge, and making meaningful contributions across a wide range of fields. During the past five fiscal years, there has been a 91% increase in the dollar value of the active sponsored research award portfolio. That would not be achievable nor sustainable without the dedicated efforts by the team in the Office of Research and Innovation (ORI).

In the following pages, we detail the FY2024 Sponsored Research Metrics, designed to provide a clear and comprehensive overview of our sponsored research funding landscape. These metrics offer valuable insights into the volume, scope, and success of our faculty’s externally funded research efforts.

Sponsored research funding is a key indicator of the vitality and success of academic institutions. It reflects not only the caliber of our research but also our ability to attract funding from government agencies, industry partners, foundations, and other external sources. These resources fuel the important work of our faculty, staff, and students, enabling groundbreaking discoveries, innovative projects, and collaborative partnerships.

By incorporating sponsored research metrics into this report, we aim to provide a transparent summary of the total external funding awarded to our research programs during the past fiscal year, along with comparisons to previous periods. Data is also provided on the number of proposals submitted, awards received, and success rates in securing funding. The diversity of our funding sources is reflected in the breakdown of funding from federal, state, and private sources.

ORI is proud of the accomplishments reflected in these metrics and remains dedicated to supporting the research enterprise at UMass Dartmouth.

We invite you to explore the full details of our sponsored research portfolio in the following sections of the report. Thank you for your continued support and collaborative engagement with ORI.

Megan Hennessey-Greene Assistant Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation

FY2020 - FY2024

Proposals

New Awards FY2020 - FY2024 (000’s)

$5,000

Non Federa l Depart ment of Education

National Science Foundation Depart ment of Health and Human Services

Depart ment of Commerce (N OA A) Other Federal Sources Depart ment of Defense Grand Total

Sponsored Research Expenditures FY2020 - FY2024 (000’s)

Michael D Goodman

Ramprasad Balasubramanian

Pingguo He

Lisa A. Jochim

Changsheng Chen

Nefeli Maria Bompoti

Walaa S Mogawer

Micheline S. Labrie

Kevin D.E. Stokesbury