UMass Lowell’s first fully in-person Commencement in three years marked a return to normalcy for the Class of 2022 — the largest in school history — and also the end of an era for Chancellor Jacquie Moloney.

After 25 years of empowering UMass Lowell students and communities through education and innovation, Julie Chen was unanimously approved as the university’s next chancellor — a move that received sweeping praise from students, faculty, staff and alumni.

Through a common interest in sports, the campus cluster initiative Sports Collaborative for Open Research and Education (SCORE) is bringing disciplines across UMass Lowell together.

U.S. Rep. Lori Trahan and U.S. Sen. Edward Markey visited campus to announce $500,000 in federal funding for the River Hawk Scholars Academy, which serves first-generation college students at the university.

Amara, a social media platform designed to create a more positive experience for users, took top honors at the Rist DifferenceMaker Institute’s 10th annual $50,000 Idea Challenge, held recently at Moloney Hall.

With mixers that follow a speed-dating format, the Honors College is matching more honors students with faculty mentors for research opportunities and final honors theses and projects. The college offers $1,500 fellowships to support student researchers, who may also be paid through faculty grants.

To thank faculty members who help save them money by using free or low-cost textbooks and open educational resources in their courses, students hosted the second-annual “OERscar” awards at Moloney Hall.

The Spring Career Fair returned to the Tsongas Center, where 1,300 students and alumni found 187 employers eager to offer them internships, co-ops and full-time positions in a promising job market.

Research by Assoc. Prof. Jonghan Kim of the Department of Biomedical and Nutritional Sciences in the Zuckerberg College of Health Sciences was recently awarded a $1.2 million grant from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute for a study that will help to better predict the impact of doxorubicin on cancer patients’ hearts.

UMass Lowell student-athletes are taking advantage of the NCAA’s new name, image and likeness policy, which for the first time allows college athletes to make money from endorsements and appearances.

A competition-based initiative to get students thinking about their residence hall energy usage won the third annual Rist Institute for Sustainability & Energy Climate Mitigation Challenge, which asks students to find ways to reduce CO2 emissions by 10,000 pounds in 10 weeks.

Exercise Science alumna Caitlin Ciccone is at the Olympic Games working as a physical therapist for the U.S. Men's Alpine Ski Team.

Biomedical and Nutritional Sciences worked with faculty to study metabolic dysfunction and the effects of toxins on breast cells.

The Office of National Scholarships, run by Associate Director of Honors Scholarship and Curriculum Rae Mansfield, encourages students to apply for external scholarships for research, academic and international experiences. 

For many students, a bond with a professor, an advisor, a coach or another person on campus can make all the difference in their college experience and set them up for future success. We checked in with several River Hawks who talked about their mentors on campus and the impact they’ve had.

A new at-home rehabilitation gaming system that simulates a kayaking adventure, combined with therapist counseling on everyday tasks, can help stroke patients regain strength and mobility.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has awarded a $900,000 grant to Research Prof. Anila Bello of the Department of Public Health for research into better protections for firefighters from harmful chemicals used to extinguish fuel-based fires.

An interdisciplinary group of faculty members from UMass Lowell’s Climate Change Initiative attended the recent United Nations global climate summit, aka COP26, in Glasgow, Scotland, where they observed progress being made — but also missed opportunities.

Prof. Katherine Tucker of Biomedical and Nutritional Sciences was named the 2021 Distinguished University Professor, the highest accolade bestowed on a UMass Lowell faculty member for outstanding contributions to teaching, research and service.

Students learned about internship opportunities at a dozen early-stage medical device and biotech startups during a networking event co-hosted by the Massachusetts Medical Device Development Center (M2D2) and the UML student chapter of the Biomedical Engineering Society.

The major in pharmaceutical sciences combines classes in biomedical sciences and business to prepare students for jobs in pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. Students can go on for advanced degrees in the same field – or an MBA.

As part of their $50 million commitment to the UMass system, UMass Lowell alumni Robert and Donna Manning announced Thursday they will provide their alma mater with a $10 million gift to support the future of business education.

UMass Lowell received more than $3 million from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to develop new undergraduate and graduate programs in public health informatics and technology. UML will work with community colleges and health care partners to educate diverse students who can fill vital jobs.

An interdisciplinary team of UML faculty, led by Assoc. Profs. Meg Sobkowicz-Kline and Chris Hansen, have received a nearly $3 million National Science Foundation Research Traineeship award for a new graduate student program focused on developing sustainable materials and chemicals that won’t harm water resources.

Osteoporosis has been traditionally viewed as a disease of non-Hispanic white women, says Asst. Prof. Sabrina Noel. But the reality is more complicated, she says in a new paper that looks at inequities and gaps in the research.

After 18 months of virtual learning during the pandemic, students and faculty were elated to be back in the classroom on the first day of the fall 2021 semester.

Assoc. Prof. Kelsey Mangano, a nutrition researcher, says that the health of the planet and our own health go hand in hand – and that by improving one, we can improve the other.

Convocation formally kicked off the 2021-22 academic year for 2,600 first-year and transfer students — and also served as a belated welcome to campus for sophomores who spent last year learning remotely.

The new “Health Sciences Hub” in the Health and Social Sciences Building is a one-stop center for student success. It includes space for advising, tutoring, exam reviews, faculty and teaching assistant office hours, health sciences club meetings, interprofessional education and more.

UML’s new Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching provides faculty with resources and tools to foster innovative, engaging and inclusive learning environments for students — and a place to compare notes and share ideas with one another.

This summer, a UML support program for first-generation college students is piloting a “First to Launch” program on campus for incoming first-year students. With support from two recent grants, the River Hawk Scholars Academy is also expanding its services to sophomores, juniors and seniors. 

Solomont School of Nursing faculty will soon assist with clinical trials on rapid COVID-19 tests that are being developed as part of a massive federal effort. Assoc. Prof. Ainat Koren is leading the initiative, which will deploy nurses and nursing students to existing testing sites to gather patient samples and data.

The MAGIC program, started by Chemistry Assoc. Teaching Prof. Khalilah Reddie, aims to close the health professions and medical school admissions gap for students from underrepresented groups, especially students of color, through tutoring and support. Students say MAGIC has improved their academics and their confidence, while providing them with a community.

David Nguyen, bilingual in English and Vietnamese, is a first-generation college student who is used to overcoming barriers associated with being a person of color.

UMass Lowell celebrated the perseverance of the Class of 2021 in a hybrid format that resembled the school year. Graduates and guests processed in person through the Tsongas Center to receive their diplomas and get formal photos taken, while a pre-recorded ceremony streamed online.

UMass Lowell’s Class of 2021 refused to be knocked off course by the COVID-19 pandemic. We asked eight graduating seniors, representing each of UML’s six colleges, to talk about their experiences over the past four years in a virtual roundtable discussion on Zoom.

More than two dozen UMass Lowell faculty members were recognized by students from the university’s MASSPIRG chapter and Student Government Association for using free or low-cost digital textbooks and open educational resources (OERs) at the first “OERscars” ceremony.

Pitching to alumni judges “Shark Tank” style, 10 teams from across the university competed in the finale of a yearlong contest to conceive and bring to market solutions to social issues or everyday problems.

Starting April 19, anyone 16 years and older living in Massachusetts can get vaccinated against COVID-19. Campus health experts and researchers recommend vaccination for everyone who can safely get the shot -- so that we can protect ourselves and others in our campus community.

Public Health Prof. Wenjun Li researches people’s access to resources that support healthy aging, with a focus on how social and environmental factors such as income, race and residential neighborhoods contribute to inequities in health and well-being. He’s also collaborating on research projects involving veterans.

More than 100 students in the Zuckerberg College of Health Sciences have volunteered to help out at Lowell General Hospital’s COVID-19 vaccination clinic, which gives about 2,000 shots each day. In addition, some nursing students are earning clinical hours while giving vaccinations.

Nursing student Darany Long was the first in her family to graduate high school – and will be the first to graduate from college, too. But her beloved grandfather, who was terminally ill, wouldn’t live to see that day. So nursing faculty loaned her a cap, gown and hood, and she celebrated early with him.

The university has expanded its COVID-19 surveillance testing with the creation of an in-house test processing lab at Olney Science Center, where students are getting hands-on laboratory experience while helping to fight the pandemic.

The partnership with Lowell General Hospital began last month and pairs healthcare workers from the hospital with nursing students from the university's College of Health Sciences.

Recent alumni from the Honors College say their honors experiences, from research with faculty to small seminars, have had a lasting impact, preparing them for advanced graduate studies and rewarding jobs.

A new option within the exercise science major prepares students for careers on the business side of fitness. The exercise and fitness management option is particularly appealing to athletes who want to stay involved with sports.

River Hawks are finding ways to make friends, connect with classmates and join extracurricular activities while learning remotely during the pandemic.

The need for home health care services has never been greater, or more challenging, than during COVID-19. Under a major federal grant, Public Health Prof. Emerita Margaret Quinn, lead researcher for the Safe Home Care Project, is using her expertise to address the hazards that home care aides face.

Two Ph.D. students – one an educator from Uzbekistan, the other a nurse practitioner — met through a women’s running group in North Andover. Their friendship grew as they shared early morning runs, dissertation tips and their personal histories amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Assoc. Prof. of Nursing Comfort Enah takes a public health, community-based approach to research aimed at improving sexual and reproductive health in underserved communities and low-income countries. She focuses on using mobile apps to improve health outcomes.

Jerry St. Peter '89 and his wife Jamie established an endowment that will help undergraduates in the pharmaceutical sciences program.

Clinical Assistant Prof. Jennifer Nicoloro, director of the university’s undergraduate medical laboratory sciences program, provided an interview to this career-planning website to share the professional opportunities available to people interested in the field.

Prof. Timothy Ford, the new chair of Biomedical and Nutritional Sciences, has extensive experience researching infectious diseases, from E. coli to cholera, in countries around the world. Ford says that global epidemics, including COVID-19, need global as well as local solutions.

Siblings Abby and Ben Drezek are wrapping up parallel student-athlete careers at UMass Lowell that are almost unparalleled in terms of all-around success.

Honors College students are creating graphic novels about science and medicine in a new seminar. Assoc. Prof. of Art Karen Roehr says that during the COVID-19 pandemic, they’re more relevant than ever, because linking words and images helps people understand and relate to health and safety issues.

Thanks to a five-year, $6.6 million grant from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, The New England Consortium at UMass Lowell will expand its hazardous materials worker health and safety training under the direction of Research Prof. David Turcotte.

The Master’s of Public Health program is growing in size and reputation since it debuted six years ago. Starting in January, the health care management option will be offered completely online.

Four current and former exercise science majors won praise at a conference for their research on a heart rate finger sensor – and honors student Andreas Himariotis carried off the top undergraduate prize.

Asst. Prof. of Nursing Mazen El Ghaziri and a colleague at Saint Louis University have been awarded $160,000 by the National Institute of Corrections to create a training program aimed at improving the health and working conditions of correctional officers, who suffer high rates of injury, stress, obesity and premature death.

The River Hawk Scholars Academy is a supportive community for first-year, first-generation students who want help navigating the transition to college. It’s now recognized as a national model for such students, who make up a large share of UMass Lowell’s undergraduate population.

For some families, UMass Lowell is more than a university. It’s a family tradition that spans generations.

Asst. Prof. Serena Rajabiun and two other Zuckerberg College of Health Sciences professors are leading a $3.9 million federal grant to help HIV treatment centers improve care for Black women, who have higher infection rates and worse health outcomes because of poverty, stigma and structural racism.

The Provost’s Excellence in Learning and Teaching summer workshop series was among several ways the university helped faculty prepare for remote instruction this fall. The workshop sessions, led by UML faculty and Information Technology staff, focused on both technical and pedagogical development.

Even before COVID-19 testing overwhelmed hospital and public health laboratories, medical lab scientists, including those who graduate from UMass Lowell, were in great demand. Now their skills – analyzing lab samples and helping doctors to diagnose patients – are more sought after than ever.

When two alumni now working at Lowell Community Health Center wanted volunteers for their “Stop the Spread” COVID-19 testing campaign this summer, they knew whom to call: their former professors in the Zuckerberg College of Health Sciences.

The Nanofabrication Laboratory clean room on North Campus, perhaps the safest place to be during the coronavirus pandemic, is one of 10 Core Research Facilities that have partially reopened to faculty, students and industry partners under careful safety protocols.

Students who miss being on campus — and incoming freshmen who want to meet fellow River Hawks outside of the remote classroom this fall — can connect virtually on HawkCraft, the university’s official Minecraft server.

As a fall semester like no other gets underway, UMass Lowell is focused on the health and safety of students — both residential and remote —  through measures such as surveillance testing for COVID-19 and teletherapy counseling sessions.

It'll be different this time, said student and university leaders at the 15th annual Convocation, but UML remains united in blue to help incoming students find their passion.

As the coronavirus pandemic continues to cripple social interaction, upend education, endanger health and disrupt business, the university’s researchers are exploring the ever-widening aspects of the virus’ presence. Several UML researchers recently earned grants to explore a wide array of COVID-19's effects.

With the economy still reeling from the coronavirus pandemic, the summer of 2020 could have been a washout for students looking to land internships or build their résumés through summer jobs. But scores of UMass Lowell students managed to find opportunities where they could apply their skills and gain experience.

Thanks to a state grant, the university’s Fabric Discovery Center acquired equipment to test PPE that could be used to prevent transmission of COVID-19. Now, staff are conducting PPE testing for the state emergency management agency, hospitals, and regional companies that are ramping up to manufacture high-quality masks and gowns. And that’s just the beginning.

Zoom interviews, delayed start dates, online onboarding and working remotely from the homes where they grew up are just some of the circumstances that recent UML graduates face as they begin their careers in the age of COVID-19. Despite the shaky economy, many are landing jobs and adjusting to the new workplace realities.

To help students save money on textbooks, the UMass Lowell Library offers faculty members a variety of ways to adopt free or low-cost digital textbooks for their courses.

With the coronavirus pandemic persisting, people may be tempted to increase the use of disinfectants to help stem the spread of the virus. But these products contain Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-registered pesticides that can cause harm, especially if not used as directed.

With the help of seed funding from the Office of Research and Innovation, faculty researchers from the Kennedy College of Sciences and the Zuckerberg College of Health Sciences will conduct studies designed to address the COVID-19 pandemic.

First-year and transfer students can get a head start on their UML experience by signing up for the university’s newly expanded Launch! Summer Program, which offers free workshops and seminars as well as exclusive courses at a discounted tuition rate.

Twin sisters Elizabeth and Katherine Conole, who graduated from UMass Lowell’s Solomont School of Nursing, are taking care of COVID-19 patients at Lowell General Hospital.

Lowell General Hospital chief medical officer Arthur Lauretano, M.D., received a master's in Healthcare Management and Clinical Informatics from UMass Lowell.

Students practice assessment, critical thinking and communication skills via videoconferencing with the help of student actors.

The 23rd annual Student Research and Community Engagement Symposium went online this spring. The quality of the student projects remained as high as ever, despite the change of venue.

With labs closed and all academic programs now online due to COVID-19, seniors are adapting their capstone projects. Some capstones have even taken on new relevance because they address aspects of the pandemic.

Three faculty-led research projects focused on immediate responses to the COVID-19 pandemic received more than $33,000 in seed funding from the university’s Office of Research and Innovation.

Thirty undergraduate and graduate public health students from the Zuckerberg College of Health Sciences have volunteered to work with local boards of health on contact tracing efforts to help contain the coronavirus pandemic.

The New England Consortium, a UML-based institute, is offering free trainings on keeping workers safe amid the COVID-19 pandemic, whether they’re front-line health care workers or employees in other essential industries.

Thanks to online voting, the Student Government Association was still able to hold its election this spring. Thirty-two students were on the ballot for president, vice president, student trustee and senators.

As high school seniors weigh college decisions without the chance to visit campuses, UMass Lowell’s Admissions team is offering one-on-one admissions counseling, individual virtual tours of campus by student tour guides, and social media forums where prospective students can ask questions.

Thanks to strategic investments in technology and a universitywide spirit of support, UML was able to successfully transition to online learning and remote work after the coronavirus pandemic forced the closure of campus.

The Zuckerberg College of Health Sciences and the Kennedy College of Sciences donated face shields, masks, gowns, eyewear, gloves and more to local health and first responders on the front lines of fighting the coronavirus.

The River Hawk Rising program provides structured support and a personal connection to students of color, transfer students and first-generation students during their time at the university, setting them up for success in college and beyond.

As Massachusetts officials advised everyone to stay at home to prevent further spread of the novel coronavirus, students are adapting to studying online – and adopting coping strategies to help manage the upheaval.

Epidemiologist and Public Health Prof. David Kriebel, who is reviewing data as it becomes available on the outbreak of COVID-19, sees cautiously encouraging trends on the containment of the virus emerging in China.

How zinc is distributed to tissues and cells is the root of Prof. Shannon Kelleher’s research, which aims to reveal the role that zinc plays in the development of inflammatory bowel disease and food allergies.

Three of the Whitcomb quadruplets chose UMass Lowell, each for their own reasons. But they’re happy to be here together.

Faculty can save time grading – and provide faster and more detailed feedback to students – with Gradescope, an online tool now available campuswide.

This year’s winners of the university's Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Distinguished Service Awards have served the community through theater, community health research and volunteer work with homeless people and at-risk high school students.

Studies show that fad diets don't keep off weight in the long term. Faculty who are registered dietitians and students majoring in nutritional science share science-based advice to eat healthy for successful weight loss.

College Based Advising, Disability Services, Hospitality & Event Services and the Zuckerberg College of Health Sciences have joined together to launch the “Don’t Drop the Mic, USE a Mic” campaign. The initiative encourages presenters to use microphones at large meetings, classrooms, events and conferences.

Chemistry Prof. Yuyu Sun and Assoc. Prof. Nancy Goodyear of Biomedical and Nutritional Sciences are using N-halamine – a biocide with proven germ-killing property – to reduce the occupational burden of exposure by protecting the hospital staff from harmful microorganisms that can cause various infections. 

Eight groups of physical therapy students partnered with local schools and senior centers to promote health and wellness.

They went, they conquered, they left. And in their dust were some top Boston universities. Ambulatory Innovation emerged atop the heap at the annual Beantown Throwdown pitch competition.

UML faculty members were recognized for achievements in research, teaching and service at the annual Faculty Symposium, which featured 60 “lightning talks” on current research and conversations on better teaching at the UMass Lowell Inn & Conference Center.

Five new inductees joined the UMass Lowell Military Alumni Veterans Hall of Fame on Nov. 1, each bringing an array of service to the nation, with 115 years in uniform among them.

Food and beverage companies learned about sustainable manufacturing and cleaning processes at a workshop funded by the EPA.

The university welcomed its largest incoming class ever – nearly 3,400 first-year and new transfer students – at a Convocation ceremony that also kicked off UML’s yearlong 125th anniversary celebration. 

New students should find Blackboard, the university’s online learning management system, easy to navigate. But the top tip from the online learning pros is still, “Read your messages.”

Work environment graduate student Nicole Karlsson was the lead author on a published study that showed that about one in four home care workers reported at least one incident of verbal abuse by clients or their relatives during the preceding 12 months.

Most people addicted to opioids are working – and job conditions can either contribute to addiction or help to prevent it and encourage recovery. The university was selected as one of four sites nationwide for a pilot training program on the critical connections between work, mental health and addiction.

The Global Entrepreneurship Exchange (GE2) program reached the 1,000-student milestone as 75 students and faculty from 12 countries visited campus for two weeks of multicultural collaboration designed to teach the fundamentals of launching a business.

An athletic training method shown to reduce head injuries in high school football will be rolled out in Hawaii next week through an $800,000 grant to the UMass Lowell researcher who designed the system.

Sleep disruption can lead to depression, cardiovascular disease and accidents on the job or at home. To combat these issues, Asst. Prof. Yuan Zhang of the Solomont School of Nursing is partnering on a $1.7 million four-year National Institute of Aging grant to study strategies that help older night shift workers sleep soundly.

The rising cost of textbooks is hurting students’ wallets – and their academic success. Campus leaders, faculty, the university libraries, the bookstore and students are working together to lower costs.

UMass Lowell, a pioneer in online and continuing education, earns high rankings for its excellent professors and up-to-the-minute programs. Now it’s integrating its online and on-campus graduate programs in a new Division of Graduate, Online and Professional Studies.

The university’s Climate Change Initiative hosted members of the state’s House Committee on Global Warming and Climate Change for a roundtable discussion on climate science and policy at which faculty members shared scientific research and expertise to help inform policy decisions.

At UMass Lowell’s Center for Gerontology Research and Partnerships’ forum, speakers shared their latest research on aging workers in the workplace, age-friendly initiatives and asthma in older adults.

More than 280 students finished the academic year by presenting their work at the annual Student Research & Community Engagement Symposium. Many of the students’ research projects aimed to solve or engage real-world problems, from public health to violent crime.

UMass Lowell Air Force ROTC Commander Jesse Jaramillo partnered with Zuckerberg College of Health Sciences faculty to deliver nutrition and exercise science education, counseling and training for cadets.

Prof. Katherine Tucker was a co-author, with researchers at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, on a study published in the March issue of the medical journal JAMA that found that the more eggs an individual consumes, the greater the risk for heart disease, stroke and overall mortality.

Multiple groups of nursing students educated teens in Dracut, Billerica and Tewksbury about the health risks of vaping.

U.S. Rep. Lori Trahan learned about the latest technology used in parachutes and other battlefield innovations while touring the HEROES lab on Feb. 20.

Students majoring in geoscience, civil engineering, environmental science and meteorology got hazmat-certified to broaden their skills, giving them an advantage in the job market.

Thirteen business, engineering and health science students spent a week in Houston helping Hurricane Harvey flood victims rebuild as part of the Organizational Behavior in Action directed study course led by Olga Tines, an assistant teaching professor in the Manning School of Business.

A team of public health students from the Zuckerberg College of Health Sciences, who are working at the Toxics Use Reduction Institute (TURI) on their capstone project, found safer cleaning solutions for reusable bags.

Assistant Teaching Prof. Kyle Coffey shares his tips on how to stay motivated to exercise for the long term.

The National Institutes of Health has awarded Prof. Katherine Tucker a $2.6 million grant to evaluate bone health risks among men.

Public Health Department Chair Nicole Champagne brings Ben, the university's first therapy dog, to campus twice a week and the Wellness Center recently brought baby animals to campus, all to reduce student stress.

At a recent career seminar, students from a variety of majors heard from three experienced genetic counselors about the various career options in the profession, as well as the challenges and rewards of their jobs.

The Solomont School of Nursing celebrated the 50th anniversary of the nursing program by recognizing 50 nursing leaders at an event on Oct. 4.

Assoc. Prof. Wilson Palacios is researching new approaches to prevent opioid overdoses and the spread of disease in Lowell. Meanwhile, Asst. Prof. Angela Wangari Walter is identifying barriers to prevention, treatment and recovery for fishing industry workers in New England.

University researchers are collaborating with Lawrence to turn the city into an “Age-Friendly Community” – a place where housing, transportation, green spaces, health care and social services help residents of all ages lead healthier lives.

It’s tough to corral the attention of more than 3,200 college students in an arena. Tougher still to bring them to stony silence.  But that’s what Ken Nwadike did to the 3,200 freshman and transfer students at the 2018 Convocation.

Clinical Assoc. Prof. Edgar Torres of Physical Therapy and Kinesiology lends advice on how to keep our backs healthy to prevent lower back pain.

The university is piloting a community-supported agriculture (CSA) program this summer, a joint initiative between the Office of Sustainability, the Center for Public Opinion and Mill City Grows, to lay the foundation for a self-sustaining CSA at the university while also providing research opportunities.

Assistant Prof. Sabrina Noel of the Department of Biomedical and Nutritional Sciences fields questions about how much sugar in the diet is too much, deciphering food labels and identifying healthier options for satisfying a sweet tooth.

A UMass Lowell researcher dedicated to improving the quality and safety of home health care recently received international recognition for her work.

The Toxics Use Reduction Institute recently recognized Asst. Prof. Boce Zang as an Academic Champion of Toxics Use Reduction at the State House. He was one of 12 honorees that are working to reduce toxic chemical use across the Commonwealth.

A healthy composition of the gut microbiome – a vast army of microorganisms that keep us alive – could help prevent depression, obesity, arthritis and illnesses such as Parkinson’s Disease among others.

Invitation to Innovation, which was held May 4 at the Tsongas Center, was attended by more than 2,000 schoolchildren, educators and community and corporate partners.

Graduate students in the Master’s in Public Health with a focus on dietetics spent the semester interning on campus with University Dining Services, learning about everything from food prep and safety to knife skills and food waste composting.

A collaboration between Campus Recreation, the Wellness Center and the Exercise Physiology department, the Exercise is Medicine program teaches students how exercise can improve their overall well-being by providing them with 16 personal training sessions – free of charge.

UML is working hard to educate students in sexual violence prevention in the classroom, on playing fields, in student clubs and through residence life. Faculty are also doing cutting-edge research in the field.

Sixty academic, government and industry leaders and researchers from across the region came together for “The Internet of Things: Enabling Technologies & Emerging Trends,” a forum hosted by the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation and the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative.

To help students pursue advanced health degrees, the university has increased and centralized advising support and program coordination.

“There’s an idea that clean equals good and healthy, but this should broaden our idea of what cleaning work is and what the chemical hazards are in particular,” said Margaret Quinn of UMass Lowell.

Alexandre Lopes, a UMass Lowell associate professor of physical therapy, arrived in Pyeongchang, South Korea last week, where he is conducting research on behalf of the International Olympic Committee to determine how many athletes sustain injuries or fall ill during the Winter Games.

Alexandre Lopes, associate professor of physical therapy, is conducting research, blogging and posting photos about his experiences at the XXIII Olympic Winter Games in PyeongChang, South Korea.

Highly processed foods are known to contribute to obesity, high blood pressure and Type 2 diabetes. Now there’s something else to worry about – brain function. Katherine Tucker, director of UMass Lowell’s Center for Population Health, recently received a $3.9 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to study the effects of highly processed foods on cognitive decline.

The NERVE Center and Toxics Use Reduction Institute both moved to new homes over winter break, while Facilities Management steamed ahead on renovations at Perry and Pasteur halls and on the construction of University Suites Dining.

Prof. Katherine Tucker of the Department of Biomedical and Nutritional Sciences has received a $3.9 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to study the effects of highly processed foods on cognitive decline.

UMass Lowell researchers have developed a paint-stripping solvent that they say provides a safer alternative to the toxic, potentially deadly products available for purchase at local hardware stores.

An oncology nurse for more than 30 years, Donna Manning and her husband Rob established an endowed faculty chair nursing position in the Solomont School of Nursing.

New research suggests that eating a dozen eggs per week could slow the progression of macular degeneration.

How do you take the world by storm while lending it a hand? The co-founders and partners in Nonspec Inc., an emerging business that makes affordable prosthetics, are finding out after they landed a $50,000 prize as one of the Top 26 startups at MassChallenge, the Boston-based business accelerator. 

Students are collecting new teddy bears and other stuffed animals to give to children in Lowell and hurricane-ravaged areas for the holidays. The Student Alumni Ambassadors are collecting in Fox Hall and also taking online donations of money.

The university celebrated research, teaching and creative works at the 2017-18 Faculty Symposium, held at the UMass Lowell Inn & Conference Center.

The university's annual Veteran's Day flag ceremony honored all veterans, especially our student-veterans. But there was one clear focus, the biggest guy in the room, alumnus Nick Lavery.

Students who take a sports injury management class at Billerica Memorial High School recently visited UMass Lowell’s exercise physiology labs to meet professors and participate in demonstrations.

From a celebration of Division I athletics to a performance by alumni-founded band Bearstronaut, River Hawk Homecoming 2017 drew its biggest crowd yet.

Maura Walsh '80, health care administration alumna and former leader of a 15-hospital health care system in Texas, returned to campus recently to share her experience managing a command center during and after Hurricane Ike.

With more than 1,400 international students enrolled at the university this fall, the services provided by the International Students and Scholars Office and the Office of Multicultural Affairs are in high demand.

The university’s focus on helping first-year students succeed is already paying off in higher retention and graduation rates. A new advising system, an online four-year planner and the River Hawk Scholars Academy offer additional support.

The university’s focus on helping first-year students succeed is already paying off in higher retention and graduation rates. A new advising system, an online four-year planner and the River Hawk Scholars Academy offer additional support.

Faculty Teaching Circle Fellows integrate innovative teaching methods in classes to help students succeed.

At the annual Welcome Back night, students got a taste of what downtown Lowell has to offer.

Biologist Nicolai Konow studies the structure and movements of backboned animals, including fish, bats, birds and axolotls, to understand how they evolved and how they fit into the ecosystem. A recent study looks at fish that eat coral.

The university’s new Urban Agriculture Greenhouse, run in partnership with Mill City Grows, will be a testing ground for water and energy efficiency — while also providing food for the local community.

The largest group of new incoming UML students were welcomed to campus with a call to join together and celebrate difference.

Every year, more than 200 first-year students receive merit-based, $4,000 Co-op Scholarships in their acceptance packages. The scholarships pay them to do research with a faculty member, intern at a community agency or study abroad.

Students studying dietetics gain valuable work experience during their summer community internships.

A dozen incoming first-year students have been awarded scholarships by the Nisei Student Relocation Commemorative Fund. The fund honors efforts to get nearly 5,000 second-generation Japanese-American (Nisei) students out of World War II relocation camps and into colleges.

The National Institutes of Health awarded Asst. Prof. of Public Health Natalia Palacios a $2.1 million, five-year grant to study the relationship between gut bacteria and the risk of Parkinson’s disease.

Led by Asst. Prof. Valerie King, 13 students from the Solomont School of Nursing spent two weeks in Cádiz, Spain, learning Spanish medical terminology.

As babies and children and when we’re sick, disabled or dying, we all need care – and most of that care is provided by women working for low or no wages. It’s time to change that, according to speakers at the Global Carework Summit.

A new UMass systemwide research center, launched with a $25,000 grant by the UMass President’s Science & Technology Initiatives Fund, will study the science of how bone and muscle systems work under different conditions.

UMass Lowell officially dedicated its College of Health Sciences to alumnus Roy Zuckerberg in recognition of his support for the university and its students.

The university’s first-ever Invitation to Innovation (i2i) event drew a crowd of more than 1,000 to see student projects, research and products coming out of the university’s labs and classrooms.

Alice Bonner ‘89, who spoke on campus to students, staff, faculty and community agency representatives at the recent third annual Healthy Aging-Living Well Forum, urged students to get involved in health policy.

The 2017 DifferenceMaker awards celebrated 10 ideas designed to make the world a better place.

The annual Student Research and Community Engagement Symposium showcases research and service-learning projects in the arts and humanities, as well as the sciences and social sciences.

UMass Lowell recently celebrated the naming of its School of Nursing and the first-ever endowed professorship in the nearly 50-year history of the program.

UMass Lowell dedicated the Susan and Alan Solomont School of Nursing and announced the Donna Manning Endowed Chair for Nursing at a ceremony with more than 100 students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends held at the Health and Social Sciences Building.

The Centers for Learning and Academic Support Services recently held a pair of expos to help students who want to change their majors. The events brought together advisers from C.L.A.S.S. and the colleges with representatives from Financial Aid and Career & Co-op Services, for one-stop student shopping.

Residence Life has completely reorganized housing options on campus, from adding new living-learning communities to clustering them in themed buildings. That’s because living-learning communities boost academic success — for both first-year and upper-class students.

Research, spearheaded by Asst. Prof. Kelsey Mangano, shows that protein from plant-based foods is as beneficial to muscle mass and strength as protein from meat.

Gina McCarthy, former head of the Environmental Protection Agency and an architect of the university’s Toxics Use Reduction Institute, encouraged students to be environmentally minded during a guest lecture at O’Leary Learning Commons.

Students working in the TURI Lab helped the campus bike shop adopt cleaning products that are safer for the environment and workers.

The university has launched Making WAVES, a campuswide effort to address barriers to professional advancement for women and minority faculty in STEM fields. A five-year, $3.5 million National Science Foundation grant is supporting the research initiative.

Prof. Katherine Tucker weighs in on what new nutrition trends we can expect, which diet is actually the healthiest to follow and whether kale will still rule the day in 2017.

Spinal cord recovery center Project Walk has hired three exercise physiology graduates as trainers in its Stratham, N.H., facility.

A new “Interdisciplinary Experiential Learning” course gives students from five different majors — nursing, medical laboratory science, nutritional sciences, exercise physiology and public health — experience working in teams at Summit ElderCare in Lowell.

The Toxic Use Reduction Institute has funded three UMass research projects, aiming to find safer alternatives to toxic chemicals that harm human health and the environment.

The marching band life doesn’t end in high school. It just gets better for those who tough it out in college.

Julie Nash, the new vice provost for student success, is charged with building a university culture that not only helps students stay on track, but achieve at higher levels.

The recent student-organized Graduate Volunteer Day gave grad students across all disciplines a chance to help the local community while building connections with one another.

Molly the pit bull gets a second chance, and helps others now, thanks to owner Katie Robinson '16.

The annual David Lustick Climate Change Teach-In drew nearly 400 students to Cumnock Hall, where speakers offered lessons on responding to a changing world.

Prof. David Turcotte and a team of students carried out a community health needs assessment for Lowell and surrounding towns—and made some surprising findings.

Students from the eNABLE Lowell group fitted 8-year-old Liam Haggerty with a custom-made artificial hand at the South Campus basketball court.

From improving rehabilitation for stroke survivors to reducing inflammation through diet in older adults, faculty members in the College of Health Sciences are conducting studies that have the potential to make a powerful impact on people’s lives.

The university’s Core Research Facilities, a group of open access laboratories, is showing off its state-of-the-art scientific equipment by offering a fictional crime “Lunch and Learn” series of workshops and a short-story contest for undergraduates.

UMass Lowell physical therapy professor Alexandre Lopes, 42, monitored athletes' injuries and health during the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro over the summer as a member of the International Olympic Committee's Medical and Scientific Commission.

University researchers helped the Lowell Police Department win two major grants totaling nearly $1.3 million over three years to study factors contributing to opioid addiction and come up with solutions.

Assoc. Prof. of Physical Therapy and Olympic researcher Alexandre Lopes shares his insight on what causes athletic injuries and how everyone from the casual runner to a professional athlete can avoid them.

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health awarded the Center for the Promotion of Health in the New England Workplace a five-year $6,357,027 grant.

The Honors College welcomed its largest class of new students ever this fall. The college has been growing by leaps and bounds – while raising its admission standards.

Physical therapy is increasingly becoming viewed as an alternative to medication for several other conditions, said Deirdra Murphy, associate dean for undergraduate studies at UMass Lowell’s College of Health Sciences.

Increases in chronic diseases, obesity rates, virus threats and an aging baby-boom population are fueling the need for more public health professionals.

At UMass Lowell, high-merit students in the Co-op Scholars Program are given opportunities to conduct summer research after their freshman year.

Eight nursing students and two faculty members traveled to China on a cross-cultural exchange experience.

Three dozen faculty and staff spent time this summer learning how to incorporate the DifferenceMaker initiative into the curriculum.

More than two dozen people from across the campus community share what’s on their summer reading lists. Their responses run the gamut—with authors ranging from the Dalai Lama to Kurt Vonnegut and topics spanning quantum physics to dieting strategies, and everything in between.

Public health students created campuswide campaigns to raise awareness about global health issues.

Exercise physiology students apply their expertise to teach children, teenagers and young adults with disabilities how to ride a bike.

A record 3,720 graduates conferred degrees at 2016 Commencement exercises, which featured addresses from journalist Judy Woodruff and conductor Keith Lockhart.

As they prepare for commencement, some of our seniors reflect on how they found their place at UMass Lowell and what legacy they’d like to leave behind.

College Writing II students visited Lowell High to speak about college as part of a study on whether service learning leads to better academic outcomes for UMass Lowell students.

The Center for Community Research and Engagement helps local agencies, links faculty research with community needs and provides graduate students with research experience.

Ten teams pitched and vied for a piece of the $35,000 purse in the fourth annual DifferenceMaker Idea Challenge.

Thanks to Prof. John Wooding's creative economy grant, the university is partnering with more than two dozen community groups for the monthlong Lowell Earth Day Celebration 2016.

Members of the Disable the Label club work to unite people with unique challenges and to welcome students with disabilities through events and outreach.

College of Health Sciences students designed interactive, fun activities to educate kids about health before the College of Health Sciences Alumni Night with the River Hawks hockey game.

Living-learning communities help students academically and socially, increasing retention and student success.

Stress at work is linked to unhealthy lifestyle habits such as smoking, obesity and lack of exercise, according to two research studies conducted by the Center for the Promotion of Health in the New England Workplace (CPH-NEW).

The National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences has awarded The New England Consortium a $7.6 million grant to protect the health and safety of workers responding to hazardous-materials and climate-change crises.

The National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences has awarded The New England Consortium a $7.6 million grant to protect the health and safety of workers responding to hazardous-materials and climate-change crises.

New graduate degrees combine specialized knowledge in humanities and sciences with business management, data analysis and leadership skills.

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health awarded UMass Lowell a $2M grant that supports graduate students in their public health and occupational health and safety studies.

Forty faculty members were honored at the third annual Teaching and Learning Symposium, sponsored by the Committee on Transformational Education.

Chancellor Moloney recognizes achievements, and eyes the future, on #First90 campus engagement tours.

Presiding over Commencement for the eighth and final time, Chancellor Marty Meehan ’78 congratulated 3,716 graduates on their achievement, challenging them to make the world a better place.

Prof. Emeritus Michael Ellenbecker of Work Environment has been honored for going above and beyond in contributing to the improvement of the public’s welfare.