Biosketch
Valerie Barry and her husband, Jim, met as graduate students at UMass Lowell.
Valerie, a double River Hawk, earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in biology. Her research at UMass Lowell led her to a career in immunology. She worked for more than 15 years in pediatric gastroenterology research at Massachusetts General Hospital and Sloan Kettering Cancer Institute. She returned to Mass General to do transplantation research before becoming a stay-at-home mom, but she continued to stay active, teaching math and science at the middle school level.
Recognizing the value that their UMass Lowell education provided in their careers, the Barrys continue to support the university in many ways. Valerie recently joined the board of the newly formed Cape Cod Scholarship Fund.
In 2017, the couple established the Richard K. Barry and C. Edward Giovino Memorial Scholarship for students pursuing a degree in the sciences.
The couple has three children who have followed in their footsteps, as each have recently obtained graduate degrees from UMass Lowell.
The Barrys are residents of Marlborough, Massachusetts.