At a time when many people are looking to reduce screen time, the campus Crochet Club offers students a creative outlet, an opportunity to relax and connect with others, and a space where they can put down their phones.

Graphic design students Annalee Barbar and Oumaima Attioui applied their animation skills during a summer internship with MassBay Community College’s Institute for Trauma, Adversity, and Resilience in Higher Education, creating videos about barriers to college success.

Students in the new RN to B.S. online nursing program apply new knowledge to the care of their patients and prepare for leadership positions or graduate programs.

Computer engineering alumna Hetal Patel ’04, an engineering manager at Amazon, helped bring scholarships and a yearlong mentorship program at the company to UMass Lowell STEM students.

UMass Lowell students, led by Omicron Delta Kappa and MASSPIRG, organized a grant-funded project to assemble more than 300 care kits for local youth while turning service into a meaningful way to honor 9/11.

A two-day economic development workshop for cities and towns last June and a similar offering in Springfield next month are the first offerings from the university’s Municipal Leadership Academy, which aims to help local governments and boost student careers.

River Hawk Racing became the first collegiate Formula SAE team to drive a student-built car to the summit of Mount Washington, the highest peak in New England.

Junior business and economics major Tony Arena appeared on “Wheel of Fortune,” one of several new opportunities he has seized, including a semester studying abroad in Italy and a summer internship.

Chancellor Julie Chen and alumna Lisa Brothers ’84 shared career and leadership lessons with students during a fireside chat hosted by the Society of Women Engineers and Shah Academy.

Mechanical engineering alumni Steven Serabian ’80, ’86, ’90 and Matthew Matta ’24 have turned their mentorship relationship into a growing program that connects Francis College of Engineering students with alumni mentors.

Led by Professor Lara Thompson ’03, UMass Lowell’s REACH Lab gives graduate students hands-on experience in conducting rehabilitation research with advanced equipment and community participants.

When humans and artificial intelligence disagree on the best strategy to pursue in a high-stakes situation, can working through their differences lead to better decisions? A group of UMass Lowell faculty has won a $971,874 Army grant to explore human-AI misalignment.

Since its 2016 debut, the Lowell Kinetic Sculpture Race has been a labor of love for graphic design alum Andrew Schuster ’20, now its volunteer creative director.

Manning School of Business alumni Otavio Mayole ’20 and David Crueger-Cain ’20 turned an early experiment helping content creator Vanessa (Chen) Moynihan ’21 with her taxes into DeCypher Financials, a fast-growing accounting firm built specifically for the creator economy.

Chemistry Ph.D. student Porvajja Nagarajan was recently recognized as the top female energy engineering student in the United States for her work in advancing clean, sustainable energy.

Outdoor Adventure Program student trip leaders put their wilderness training into practice during a five-hour rescue in northern Maine, helping Baxter State Park rangers evacuate an injured hiker.

Jetrin Orenberg ’26 has turned his DifferenceMaker-winning Comprehension Clicker from a rough prototype into a startup aimed at helping professors better understand when students are struggling in class.

Professor and Chair of the Biomedical and Nutritional Sciences Department Robert Kenefick is leading a team of students to find out how much fluid active kids need to stay healthy.

UMass Lowell renovated and updated dozens of facilities across campus over the summer, including a new Caribou Coffee cafe at O’Leary Library, refreshed classrooms, lounges and dining areas, and continued work on the Olney Science Center modernization.

UMass Lowell’s six-week RAMP summer program gives incoming Francis College of Engineering students an early start on college through coursework, research, industry mentoring and community-building.

UMass Lowell alum Ryan MacInnis ’13 has established the Lowell Rising Endowment Fund to help fellow Lowell High School graduates attend UML — and to inspire others to invest in the city’s students.

Two new grants totaling nearly $629,000 will help Biomedical Engineering Assistant Professor Yanfen Li expand STEM research opportunities for high school students and teachers.

Ming Shao, an associate professor in the Miner School of Computer and Information Sciences, received a National Science Foundation Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) grant for research that will help improve AI tools.

In an effort to expand access to the STEM field for underrepresented middle school and high school students, UMass Lowell and The Calculus Project hosted a summer mathematics program at which UMass Lowell math students and recent alumni were given the opportunity to explore teaching.

New Provost Lynne Cossman shares her path to UMass Lowell and her vision for supporting students, advancing research and preparing the university for a rapidly changing future.

UMass Lowell’s first Technologist Advanced Manufacturing Program (TechAMP) graduates applied new skills to solve real-world workplace challenges while building pathways for career and educational advancement.

As principal owner of the revived Lowell Spinners of the Futures Collegiate Baseball League, UMass Lowell alum Marc Deschenes ’97 creates new opportunities for players, students and families.

Laura and Greg Lamarre Anderson and their daughter Thea, all River Hawk alumni, are celebrating the fifth anniversary of their independent bookstore lala books, which has become a hub of literature and community in the heart of downtown Lowell.

As technology allows scientists to generate huge datasets that increasingly require artificial intelligence to analyze, the complementary technology to share their work is lagging. Two associate professors have won a nearly $500,000 NSF grant to lead a team that will co-design a national framework for sharing data and collaborating on scientific discoveries.

The family of late mechanical engineering alum Paul LaCroix ’71 has donated 18 of his geometric paintings to UMass Lowell, where they now line the hallways of Perry Hall, celebrating the connection between engineering, mathematics and art.

As youth-led “Cockroach Janta Party” protests spread across India this summer, two professors in the School of Criminology and Justice Studies have been awarded a pair of university seed grants to study Gen Z protests in Kenya, India and other countries.

UMass Lowell's Global Entrepreneurship Exchange brought together 23 students from four countries to help commercialize Electrical and Computer Engineering Professor Xingwei Wang's CRISP-Sense technology.

The Tsongas Industrial History Center is celebrating its 35th anniversary by launching a series of events to engage the community with Lowell’s rich history.

Canal’s 10th anniversary issue highlights how UMass Lowell’s multilingual student publication has helped launch careers, graduate studies and lifelong passions.

Associate Director of Student Life and Well-Being Hannah King '21 turned her experiences with her niece's rare genetic disorder into a children’s book that is helping young readers better understand assistive communication devices and disability inclusion.

Terry Atamian, president of Atamian Honda, submitted a bid of $36,000 to win a tour of Jay Leno’s famed car collection in a fundraiser to support physical therapy scholarships.

UML engineering students are helping to build and maintain the commonwealth’s transportation infrastructure through the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) co-ops and internships.

Over the past four years, the National Science Foundation has recognized 12 UMass Lowell faculty researchers as some of the nation’s best junior, tenure-track scholars by awarding them prestigious Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) grants.

The National Science Foundation awarded a Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) grant worth nearly $500,000 to Miner School of Computer and Information Sciences Asst. Prof. Hadi Amiri.

Through the UML GROW® program, student employees are learning to recognize the transferable skills they develop on the job, while supervisors are becoming more intentional mentors.

Creative Writing Associate Professor Maggie Dietz discusses the inspiration, craft and themes behind her latest poetry collection, “If You Would Let Me.”

The National Science Foundation awarded Mechanical and Industrial Engineering Assistant Professor Jasmina Burek a Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) grant worth nearly $600,000 to develop tools that will help decision-makers find the most sustainable strategies for keeping unwanted clothing and other textiles out of landfills.

Assistant Professor of Computer Science Samantha Reig, a researcher with AI-CARING, a National Science Foundation-funded initiative exploring how artificial intelligence can be used to help support older adults, is focused on figuring out how emerging technologies can fill gaps in day-to-day life without going beyond what’s needed.

Entrepreneurs, industry leaders, faculty and students explored how startups can use artificial intelligence during a panel discussion hosted by the Rist Institute for Sustainability and Energy and the Rist DifferenceMaker Institute.

Biomedical and Nutritional Sciences Professor Shannon Kelleher is collaborating on a $4.1 million NIH-funded study investigating the genetic causes of lactation disorders, with the goal of improving diagnosis and treatment for breastfeeding mothers.

Electrical and Computer Engineering Professor Hualiang Zhang is part of an international research team that has won National Science Foundation funding to develop faster wireless communications in the terahertz range of the electromagnetic spectrum.

Five years ago, education Ph.D. student Lugyi No organized schools in his native Myanmar for the children of civilians fleeing military attacks. Now, he has won a fellowship to aid his research into those community schools, even as the civil war continues.

For the second time in four years, a team of education Ph.D. students has won a national competition sponsored by the American Evaluation Association. Later this year, the team will represent the United States in the world competition.

Business students in the Mill City Consulting course helped modernize North Chelmsford Lanes, one of only two remaining duckpin bowling alleys in Massachusetts, while preserving the qualities that have made it a local fixture for more than 80 years.

Two UMass Lowell doctoral students were among 12 researchers selected for the InnovAGE fellowship, in which they received entrepreneurship training and mentorship to help bring their AI-powered innovations for rehabilitation and dementia detection closer to market.

Nuclear Engineering Professor Sukesh Aghara, who is leading Massachusetts’ advanced nuclear and fusion energy roadmap, explains how emerging nuclear technologies could fit into the commonwealth’s long-term energy strategy and create opportunities for UMass Lowell students and researchers.

Associate Teaching Professor Kyle Coffey ’07, ’10 of the Department of Physical Therapy and Kinesiology, who serves as the program director of the Exercise Science Bachelor of Science program, sat down to talk about how these latest trends impact health and wellness.

Computer science graduate Jessica Vu ’26 created Hawk Advisor, an AI-powered website that helps UMass Lowell students explore career paths and choose electives that align with their professional goals.

As America marks its 250th anniversary, History Professor Abby Chandler discusses the Revolution’s lasting lessons and why the nation’s origin story is more complex than many people realize.

Miner School of Computer and Information Sciences faculty are advancing the field of cyberscience through research, while students gain career-connected experiences.

Mathematics Professor James Propp is the first faculty member at UMass Lowell to win a coveted fellowship at the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study at Harvard University. He will spend a year researching how order emerges from random “tilings” of a plane.

Doug ’83 and Michelle Reader’s $200,000 gift has launched the Reader Family Industry Mentorship Program at the Manning School of Business, connecting students with alumni and industry professionals.

UMass Lowell students from majors spanning computer science, engineering, economics and business are gaining hands-on experience through co-ops at Fresenius Medical Care, contributing to the development of home dialysis technology.

Assistant Professor Teresa Lee of the Department of Biological Sciences has won a $1.1 million CAREER grant from the National Science Foundation to support her epigenetics research.

This year’s Manning Prize for Excellence in Teaching honors Education Teaching Professor Sumudu Lewis, who directs the university’s UTeach program, an education minor that prepares students majoring in science, technology, engineering and math for teaching careers.

Eight students completed a mechanical engineering directed study during the spring semester, which included a one-week trip to Sosúa, Dominican Republic, where they installed solar panels for those without reliable electricity.

Students, faculty and entrepreneurs pitched sustainability-focused innovations and climate-tech ideas at UMass Lowell’s inaugural Sustainable Innovation Showcase and Challenge.

More than 50 Japanese business professionals traveled to UMass Lowell for Commencement after earning online MBAs through the Manning School of Business’s longtime partnership with Tokyo-based Abitus.

Quadruplets Jaden, Jahir, Jerenny and Johan Palma of Methuen took different academic paths at UMass Lowell, but they ended up in the same place: as members of the Class of 2026.

Three recent alumni have won grants from the Fulbright U.S. Student Program to do research and teach abroad. They are the first UMass Lowell graduates to win the prestigious awards since 1979.

UMass Lowell’s Steel Bridge and Concrete Canoe teams turned months of hands-on engineering work into strong performances at the ASCE Northeast Student Symposium, each placing seventh overall against regional competition.

For their senior capstone project, four mechanical engineering majors redesigned and installed a more reliable oil skimmer in the North Campus power plant, solving a longstanding maintenance issue while gaining real-world engineering experience.

Professor Shannon Kelleher of the Department of Biomedical and Nutritional Sciences is working to uncover the biological reasons that affect milk supply to help mothers breastfeed.

After putting her own education on hold for decades, Maureen Whitcomb is earning her UMass Lowell degree alongside her son Bryce, completing a family journey that saw all four of her quadruplets become River Hawk alumni.

Three Minute Thesis is an international program designed to help graduate students explain their research in a succinct and compelling way to general audiences.

Kennedy College of Sciences juniors Branae Craveiro and Sam Morgan have won prestigious Goldwater Scholarships.

Nineteen senior graphic design majors presented their yearlong capstone projects at “In the Clouds,” an exhibition highlighting work across branding, digital media and print.

Assistant Professor Rebecca Dunlea of the School of Criminology and Justice Studies partners with prosecutors around the country on research projects. Two recently published studies looked at case outcomes that are alternatives to plea deals.

UMass Lowell students excelled at the Manning School of Business’ growing Competitive Sales Challenge, earning top finishes against dozens of students from six universities.

The growing STEM Training and Excellence Program (STEP) is expanding access to academic support and research opportunities, helping students build confidence, gain hands-on experience and prepare for future careers.

Civil Engineering Professor Yuanchang Xie has a two-year state grant to improve traffic safety and planning by generating better data on intersections and sidewalks. He is also using AI to predict the traffic impacts of new developments.

Bridge Operations, a software platform designed to help organizations manage facilities and maintenance, won the top prize at the Rist DifferenceMaker Institute’s $50,000 Idea Challenge.

UMass Lowell is the first New England university to partner with Braven, a nonprofit whose mission is to accelerate students’ careers and prepare them for strong first postcollege jobs.

UMass Lowell students and faculty explored the enduring relevance of Thomas Hobbes’ “Leviathan” at an interdisciplinary conference featuring the university’s rare first edition, combining hands-on access with discussions spanning history, philosophy, English, art and modern political thought.

The new KCS Science Masters program provides graduate students with funded summer research opportunities that help them build experience, continue their work between degrees and advance toward careers in science.

Assistant Professor Daniel Glasscock got a National Science Foundation grant to study Ramsey theory, a branch of mathematics focused on the persistence of patterns. The most surprising results for Glasscock were not in discovering new mathematical principles, but in learning how undergraduate students could be true collaborators in theoretical mathematical research.

Biomedical engineering professors Lara Thompson ’03 and Yanfen Li have been inducted into the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering College of Fellows, a distinction recognizing the top 2% of engineers in the field.

Public health students not only gain valuable skills during their internships, they also fill much-needed roles in health and community organizations.

UMass Lowell’s new Business Professionals of America chapter has qualified all 10 of its members to compete at the organization’s national conference in Nashville this May.

Manning School of Business students connected with alumni and business leaders during the school’s annual Industry Days, gaining real-world insight and career guidance.

Computer science major Owen O’Brien created Love Letter, a WiFi-connected device that turns everyday text messages into more meaningful, tangible experiences.

Pianist and composer BLKBOK visited UMass Lowell to lead a masterclass at which he combined performance with advice on creativity, consistency and building a career in the music industry.

Assistant Professors of Biological Sciences Matthew Sasaki and Sarah Gignoux-Wolfsohn are using a state grant to study how oyster reefs in Plum Island Sound support marine biodiversity while expanding student research and community outreach.

The Ice Hawks, UMass Lowell’s figure skating club and hockey cheer team, is a place for experienced skaters to grow their skills and for newcomers to explore the sport.

Transfer student Michael Noel has found a home in the Lawrence Lin MakerSpace, where he not only builds his own future as a civil engineer but also inspires his young cousins to imagine theirs.

A new study co-authored by Associate Professor of Management Elana Feldman finds that workplace expectations around an “ideal worker body” can push employees with chronic pain into a harmful cycle of overexertion, leading to lost talent and highlighting the need for more flexible, individualized approaches to work.

Nine UMass Lowell students explored Maui during the Outdoor Adventure Program’s first-ever Hawaii trip, snorkeling with marine life and backpacking through a volcanic crater while building friendships and stepping outside of their everyday routines.

Researchers from UMass Lowell and Florida Gulf Coast University received nearly $100,000 in seed funding across five collaborative research projects.

Music performance alum Matt Corcoran ’13, a classically trained opera tenor, is featured in the Oscar-winning short film “The Singers.”

UMass Lowell’s fast-growing Boxing Club is drawing students from across campus who are looking for a challenging workout, stress relief and a strong sense of community.

Research Assistant Angela Consentino ’17 of the Center for Population Health at UMass Lowell is partnering with the Greater Lowell Health Alliance and the Cambodian Mutual Assistance Association to better understand how cultural background, migration history, age and socioeconomic factors shape substance use attitudes, beliefs and behaviors.

Forty students from the Manning School of Business and the Francis College of Engineering competed in UML’s first 60-Second Pitch Competition, earning cash prizes and professional feedback from alumni and industry leaders.

Clint Carney ’08, a visiting instructor of accounting, says taxpayers should look past headlines about “no tax on tips” and “no tax on overtime” and carefully review the details of new deductions and expiring credits under the latest federal tax law.

For his former River Hawk teammates, Connor Hellebuyck’s gold medal performance with the U.S. men’s hockey team rekindled memories of their Frozen Four run 13 years ago.

Miner School Assistant Professor Anitha Gollamudi and her lab group are developing a framework that automatically places sensitive data into highly secure areas of computer systems.

More than 100 local high school students visited UMass Lowell for an International Day of Women and Girls in STEM event that connected them with faculty and student researchers and highlighted the importance of mentorship in supporting women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Digital media majors are gaining real-world sports broadcasting experience by operating cameras and producing live Division I athletics events powered by newly upgraded campus technology.

The new donor-supported Manning Career Closet gives undergraduate business students free access to professionally styled attire for interviews, conferences and networking events, removing financial barriers to career readiness.

Tara Goodhue ’09, ’20, a School of Education alumna and current adjunct faculty member, is the 2026 Massachusetts Teacher of the Year. Goodhue teaches science at Lowell High School and serves as head of its science department.

Jasmina Burek, assistant professor of mechanical and industrial engineering, is studying geothermal energy networks that can heat and cool a mix of residential, commercial and public buildings. It’s part of a statewide collaboration.

A research team led by Professor Hong Yu of the Miner School of Computer and Information Sciences has analyzed clinical notes in veterans’ health records to identify early risk for Alzheimer’s disease.

English alum and former UML soccer goalie Carter Hochman ’19 is helping to tell the story of the Patriots’ Super Bowl season as the team’s digital and social media coordinator.

A team of engineering and physical therapy faculty and students is collaborating to on research to evaluate the accuracy of how augmented reality technology tracks joint motion and hand gestures.

Rowdy’s Esports Arena, a 2,500-square-foot, high-tech gaming facility, has opened its doors at University Crossing, providing students of all skill levels a place to compete, connect and take part in the growing world of college esports.

A new Honors College program pairs students with Lowell nonprofits for paid, yearlong internships. The “City-ships” give students valuable career and leadership experience while helping community organizations.

Eleven UMass Lowell students completed National Grid’s Clean Energy Careers Academy, an eight-week program designed to provide college students with a better understanding of career opportunities within the energy sector.

Nine students completed the first semester of a new paid fellowship with the International Institute of New England, supporting immigrant and refugee families in Lowell through education, tutoring and access to essential services.

A new study abroad program paired a semester-long consulting course with an in-person experience in Portugal, giving 13 students the opportunity to present a real-world strategy to executives at a startup incubator.