UMass Amherst

From invasive species tracking to water security – what’s lost with federal funding cuts at US Climate Adaptation Science Centers The people who manage America’s aquifers, wetlands, shorelines and recreation areas rely on federal science as they face new and rising risks in a changing climate.

Slashing climate research could put the USGS Climate Adaptation Science Centers at risk, says Bethany Bradley. These 9 hubs monitor invasives, protect water, aid farmers, improve wildfire forecasts, and safeguard coasts.

Why it matters ⤵️
bit.ly/4pxRjMx

📊New audio interview: UMass Poll Director Tatishe Nteta joins Aaron Kupec to break down the latest MA poll. From challengers to Sen. Ed Markey and Gov. Healey's approval to GOP prospects and views on the economy, immigration & more.

Listen: bit.ly/4nYgOWe

One Class Used AI, One Didn’t. Their Exam Scores Were the Same | UMass Amherst A new UMass Amherst study finds that AI boosts engagement and confidence, but not test performance.

One class used Al. One didn't.
Their exam scores? The same.

But UMass Amherst researchers found that students who used Al felt more engaged, confident, and efficient.

Read more: bit.ly/4hwjyZ7
@sbs-umass.bsky.social

UMass Amherst public health researcher Elizabeth Evans just received $17.9 million in NIH grants to expand work tackling the opioid crisis and improving HIV prevention and treatment in jails.

bit.ly/4oNpcJ3

Historic News! Dan Riccio ’86, ’24MS has committed $50 million to the College of Engineering which will now be known as the Daniel J. Riccio Jr. College of Engineering.

Learn more about this extraordinary gift: www.umass.edu/gateway/ricc...

🚚 Move-in day is here! We are excited to welcome our first-year, transfer and returning students to campus. Here's to a great year ahead.

🇺🇸 National Poll

📌 U.S. immigration opinions

👉 The survey finds respondents have nuanced views, supporting orderly enforcement and rights for undocumented immigrants, while recoiling from harsh Trump and ICE tactics. @UMassPoll

bit.ly/459iar6

🇺🇸 National Poll

📌 President Trump’s Job Approval

👉 A new UMass Amherst Poll finds President Trump’s net job approval has dropped to -20 six months into his term, while his approval rating on immigration has fallen 9 points since April.

bit.ly/3HiZWKm

Patients with Mental Health Disorders Face a ‘Mixed Bag’ of Experiences with Medical Care in the ER | UMass Amherst UMass Amherst research highlights the need for educating consumers, training healthcare providers and broad healthcare reform.

Many with mental health or substance use disorders report stigma in the ER, even when seeking care unrelated to mental health. A UMass Amherst study found mixed experiences that will help guide provider training.
bit.ly/3HGsBJp

#UMassAmherst #UMassResearch

Ecologists from #UMassAmherst & the Northeast Regional Invasive Species & Climate Change Management Network launched a #Climate-Smart Gardening guide & our experts have shared some examples that will work for sunny, moderately moist garden beds in MA.

bit.ly/3Tqr4JT

🌸 Spring is in full bloom on campus, thanks to the 2,000 pansies grown right here in our greenhouses on Tillson Farm Road. Delivered as small plugs, these colorful flowers are nurtured by our greenhouse manager, Tim Mercer, and then planted by our hardworking landscape crew.

🍨 UMass Amherst food science majors competed in the university’s 11th annual Ice Cream Competition, where ice cream was judged on texture, taste & more. Winning flavor $treet Nut$ will be produced along with the other finalists by Herrells Ice Cream.

bit.ly/4mGYnWI

Please contact the Graduate School at gradcommence@grad.umass.edu to inquire about tickets. Thank you.

🎓 We’re officially ONE WEEK away from Commencement! Now that caps and gowns have been handed out, it’s all starting to feel real.

Get ready to celebrate the incredible achievements of the Class of 2025 as they take their next steps as proud UMass alumni.

#UMassGrad2025

Today on #FoundersDay, we celebrated the incredible spirit of #UMassAmherst with campus-wide festivities! 

From open houses to live music and tours, every moment reflected our pride and tradition.

Huge thanks to UMass Dining for the amazing food!

🇺🇸 National Poll

📌 President Trump's Job Approval

👉 A new national UMass Amherst Poll finds President Trump’s job approval underwater, 44-51, 3 months into his 2nd term. See the results + poll directors’ analysis.

bit.ly/4cx3LGV

Don Towsley

Barbara Zurer Pearson

The @aaas.org has elected Barbara Zurer Pearson, research associate in linguistics, & Don Towsley, Distinguished Professor in @manningcics.bsky.social as 2024 Fellows — a distinguished lifetime honor within the scientific community. bit.ly/41Os9An

A person stands over a pool of water

A desert with mountains in a distance and a dirt road in the foreground

A salt flat that is a stunning shade of vermillion

A salt flat with flamingos

Batteries use lithium and mining lithium takes water. It's a big deal for ecosystems & communities that exist in the Lithium Triangle, the area of South America that has more than half the world’s known lithium. UMass College of Natural Sciences researchers are on the case. Read more: bit.ly/3QSELQK

UMass Amherst Computer Scientist Co-recipient of ‘Nobel Prize of Computing’ for Foundational Work on AI Technology | UMass Amherst Andrew Barto, Manning College of Information and Computer Sciences professor emeritus, and his former graduate student Richard Sutton have been honored with the 2024 ACM A.M. Turing Award as pioneers ...

Proud of Andrew Barto, a professor from my undergrad days at the College of Information & Computer Sciences at @umassamherst.bsky.social. I have such good memories of my time there back it was a scrappy small department filled with amazing staff & students. #GoUMASS

www.umass.edu/news/article...

Proud to celebrate Professor Emeritus Andrew Barto and alumnus Richard Sutton, who received the 2024 ACM A.M. Turing Award for establishing the conceptual and algorithmic foundations of reinforcement learning, a cornerstone of modern AI research.

Read more: brnw.ch/21wR7jr

#UMassAmhert #UAlberta

UMass Amherst Computer Scientist Co-recipient of ‘Nobel Prize of Computing’ for Foundational Work on AI Technology | UMass Amherst Andrew Barto, Manning College of Information and Computer Sciences professor emeritus, and his former graduate student Richard Sutton have been honored with the 2024 A.M. Turing Award as pioneers of r...

Andrew G. Barto and Richard S. Sutton have been awarded the prestigious 2024 ACM A.M. #TuringAward for developing a branch of artificial intelligence known as reinforcement learning.

@ualberta.bsky.social @manningcics.bsky.social

#ManningCICS #ArtificialIntelligence #UMass

bit.ly/3F6Poww

A young person vapes.

If you'd think that vaping leads to smoking, you'd be wrong - probably. Researcher Jamie Hartmann-Boyce has made an interesting discovery: there's some evidence that vaping contributes to declines in youth smoking.

bit.ly/umassvdncs

The logo of the Fulbright Scholar Program

UMass Amherst has been named a Fulbright Top Producing Institution for the 4th time, a distinction that recognizes the university for having the highest number of faculty & administrators selected for the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Programs for the 2024-25 academic year. bit.ly/umassfulbrig...

A bridge on a beautiful blue bay

When it comes to finding rust on bridges, you don't want to eyeball it. Two #UMass researchers just got the IEEE Editor's Choice Award for figuring out how to scan steel infrastructure for rust using a better method: 3-D lasers! @umassengineering.bsky.social

bit.ly/umasssteelbr...

Derrick Maxwell

UMass Chemistry alumnus Derrick Maxwell launched a start-up to replace toxic and “forever” chemicals in battery manufacturing. www.umass.edu/gateway/rese...

Three colleges in Massachusetts are new among top research institutions - The Boston Globe The schools are the 10th and 11th ones in the state to receive the prestigious R1 designation, which is granted to only 7 percent of four-year universities in the country.

For the first time, UMass Boston and UMass Lowell have been recognized as R1 research universities by the Carnegie Foundation, joining UMass Amherst in the nation’s top tier. (1/3) @umassamherst.bsky.social @umassboston.bsky.social

Read more: www.bostonglobe.com/2025/02/14/m...

The 12th annual #WomenOfIsenberg Conference was a great success! Held Feb. 15 at @umassamherst.bsky.social, the event provided attendees with valuable insights, meaningful connections, and a sense of inspiration. Stay tuned for a wrap-up story! #IsenbergImpact #UMassAmherst #WomenWhoLead #highered

Don’t miss out on the American Culture & Language Program – starting tomorrow! Open to all UMass Amherst and surrounding community members who speak English as an additional language. Visit our website or check out our bio to sign up today! #esl #umassamherst

A Brooklyn Bond Inspired one of Yahmani McKayle’s Best Performances - University of Massachusetts Athletics University of Massachusetts Athletics

Good read about the Destiney Philoxy -> Yahmani McKayle Brooklyn/UMass legacy.
umassathletics.com/news/2025/2/...

Image: Dean's List Fall 2024

Many congrats to the UMass Amherst students who were named to the Fall 2024 Dean's List! Each of these scholars completed at least 12 graded credits and maintained a GPA of 3.5 or higher.
It's a mark of commitment and a celebration of effort. See who made the list: bit.ly/deanslist2025