09/29/2025
By Mary Gallant

I am pleased to announce the appointment of David Turcotte as Interim Director of UMass Lowell's Toxic Use Reduction Institute (TURI). 

David is currently a Research Professor Emeritus in the Department of Economics and the Principal Investigator/Director of The New England Consortium (TNEC). He has more than 27 years of program management experience at UMass Lowell and served as Principal Investigator/Director on several U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Healthy Homes Technical Studies Program grants and Co-Principal Investigator on a Center for Disease Control-funded Green Housing study and a National Science Foundation-funded Sustainable Energy Partnership project. He holds a Doctor of Science degree in Work Environment Policy/Pollution Prevention from the University of Massachusetts Lowell.

David succeeds Baskut Tuncak, who served as Director of TURI and Research Professor in Public Health from 2021 to 2025. I would like to thank Baskut for his contributions to advancing TURI’s state-mandated mission to reduce toxic chemical use. During Baskut’s leadership, TURI developed a new strategic plan, advanced new national and international collaborations with United Nation agencies, non-governmental organizations and private industry, diversified its staff, and secured significant levels of new and additional funding. Baskut also prioritized enhancing the visibility of TURI by disseminating news about TURI’s accomplishments and impact to wider audiences.

Established at UML by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in 1989, TURI helps protect workers, communities and the environment from toxic chemicals and pollution. By collaborating with businesses of all sizes, government agencies, local communities and international organizations, TURI helps companies and communities identify actions and develop strategies to protect workers and public health. During its history, TURI has made a significant impact in the state of Massachusetts in reducing the use of a variety of toxic chemicals and toxic waste products, thereby protecting the health of employees and community members.