Centers and Institutes

Healthy Development Initiative


There are many interdisciplinary centers and institutes associated with Psychological and Brain Sciences, including:

Center for Neuroendocrine Studies

The Center for Neuroendocrine Studies brings together research groups who share an interest in understanding the relationships among hormones, the brain, physiology, and behavior.

Center for Research on Families

The Center for Research on Families is an endowed interdisciplinary research center bringing together many perspectives to fully understand family functioning and its effects on individuals and societies.

Developmental Science Initiative

The Developmental Science Initiative brings together researchers from within the department, other departments across campus, and from the five college campuses who are engaged in multidisciplinary research of development. 

Healthy Development Initiative

The Healthy Development Initiative brings together groups of UMass scientists and students striving to understand and promote the psychological and physical health and well-being of children, adolescents, adults, and seniors in our communities.

Initiative in Cognitive Science

UMass Initiative in Cognitive Science brings together faculty and graduate students who study cognition in a wide range of disciplines. We continue to push the frontiers of our understanding of the workings of the human mind, including research in the areas of cognitive neuroscience and computational cognitive science.

Institute for Applied Life Sciences

The Institute for Applied Life Sciences translates life science research into products that improve human health. This vision is achieved in collaboration with industry partners. Furthermore, IALS trains an entrepreneurial workforce skilled in the discovery, development, and manufacture of medical devices, biomolecules, and delivery vehicles for the life sciences.

Institute for Social Science Research

The Institute for Social Science Research works to strengthen existing social science infrastructure on campus in order to promote high-quality scholarship. ISSR supports the methods and training needs of faculty and their graduate students, provides information and support on grant opportunities, and facilitates social scientists’ interdisciplinary collaboration.

Psychology of Peace and Violence Concentration

The Psychology of Peace and Violence Concentration is designed to facilitate research and intervention regarding group relations and conflict.  We are especially interested in understanding why group relations become hostile and how to promote cooperation and peaceful resolution.

Psychological Services Center

The Psychological Services Center is a community mental health clinic operated by faculty of Clinical Psychology in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, an APA accredited program since 1957.

Rudd Adoption Research Program

The mission of the Rudd Adoption Research Program is to advance knowledge about the psychology of adoption through original research; mentor the next generation of adoption-competent researchers; engage with community partners to incubate and evaluate innovative programs that have potential for national impact; and provide research-based information to influence practice and policy at agency, state, federal, and international levels.