Home Research Centers

Building Energy Efficiency Program (BEEP)

The BEEP administers research programs in building energy efficiency. Researchers and staff have extensive experience in thermal performance of building envelopes and fenestration systems, simulation of energy use in buildings, energy audits, building commissioning, and several other areas. BEEP is a component of the UMass Amherst Center for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (CEERE). To find out more about BEEP's research and staff, please visit the BEEP website .

Center for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (CEERE)

CEERE provides technological and economic solutions to environmental problems that are a product of energy production, industrial, manufacturing, and commercial activities, and land use practices. Many research activities at the Center include private and public partnerships. Areas of expertise have been divided into 4 sub-groups: Renewable Energy Resources, Building Energy Efficiency, Industrial Energy Efficiency, and Environmental Technologies. For more information about available resources and services and find out how CEERE can help your organization, visit the website

Center for Process Design and Control (PDCC)

PDCC is a Center housed in UMass Amherst's Department of Chemical Engineering with a mission to conceive, develop and prototype new process systems engineering technology. Established in 1985 with a focus on conceptual design strategies for industrial chemical process, the Center has recently shifted its scope to facilitating collaborations with industrial, state and federal government partners. Currently, PDCC is working on product design and the impact of processing technology pm the final properties of complex saturated products in chemical and biotechnology industries. To find out more about the Center and for contact information, click here.

Massachusetts Center for Renewable Energy Science and Technology (MassCREST)

The research performed at MassCrest addresses the global energy supply-and-demand problem. The campus-wide center brings together expertise from 25 faculty members in at least five different departments who have expertise in areas related to the development of renewable energy devices and systems. The research activities of Mass-CREST are represented in three thrust areas: (1) Photovoltaics; (2) Fuels for the Future; and (3) Fuel Cells and Batteries. The key scientific objective of Mass-CREST is to increase the performance of selected renewable energy devices and systems by ten-fold within ten years. The key economic development objective of Mass-CREST is to rapidly translate our leading-edge research into valuable and marketable processes, technologies, and techniques that will fuel business development and job creation. You can learn more about MASSCrest's important work and particular faculty areas of specialization by clicking here.

Center for Fueling the Future: NSF Chemical Bonding Center

The Center for Fueling the Future carries out research that addresses several fundamental aspects of proton transport, the molecular level process that underlies the functioning of a central component of fuel cells. The Center focuses on the chemistry of proton conduction via site-to-site jumps on well-defined scaffolds. An important application of our research is the design of better membranes for fuel cells. Our goal is to improve the function and efficiency of today’s fuel cells and lead the way toward meeting the worldwide technological challenge of developing this sustainable, domestic source of energy. Learn more about Fueling the Future research here.

Climate System Research Center

The focus of the Climate System Research Center's activities is on climatic variability and global change issues. The stimulating environment at the Center is comprised of research scientists, UMass Amherst faculty, graduate students and post-docs who have various interests within the study of climate variability and its effects on the environment. A particular strength is research that involves both modern and paleoclimate data. To learn more about the Climate System Research Center, visit the center's website.

Environmental Biotechnology Center - Geobacter Project

Specialized microbes, termed electricigens, offer the possibility of efficiently converting organic compounds into electricity in self-sustaining systems with long-term stability. Through this recently discovered form of microbial respiration, microorganisms conserve energy to support growth by oxidizing organic compounds to carbon dioxide with direct quantitative electron transfer to electrodes. The Geobacter Project of the Environmental Biotechnology Center focuses on species of Geobacter, which was the first organism found to oxidize organic compounds to carbon dioxide with iron oxides as the electron acceptor. A large team of staff scientists, post-doctoral researchers and graduate students work together to understand the fundamental biology of Geobacter species and develop microbial fuel cell technology. Immediate application of these microbial fuel cells will be for powering electronic monitoring devices in remote locations, such as the bottom of the ocean. However, many other applications are possible. To learn more about the UMass Amherst Geobacter Project please visit the project's homepage.

Industrial Assessment Center (IAC)

Companies can save increase energy efficiency and save money through industrial energy audits. Operating within the UMass Amherst Center for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (CEERE), the Industrial (Energy) Assessment Center offers resource conservation assessments (audits) to small and medium companies in New England and New York. The program is federally funded and is nationally recognized for its economic assistance to small and medium companies. The IAC have been instrumental in assisting companies in conserving energy, reducing pollution, increasing productivity, and lowering operating costs at over 600 companies since 1984. Go to IAC's website to learn more about the program and to see if your company qualifies for IAC's services.

Renewable Energy Research Laboratory (RERL)

Focusing primarily on wind energy in New England, RERL promotes research and learning in renewable energy technologies. Chief interests include: offshore wind power issues, resource assessment, renewable energy software development, hybrid power systems, wind turbine dynamics and control, and wind farm siting and performance. At the main office on the UMass Amherst campus, the staff works with data, generates reports and assembles and stages materials for renewable energy projects. The Lab also owns an experimental wind turbine that is used for education and demonstration. For more information on wind and other renewable energy sources, you can visit the laboratory's homepage.

The Environmental Institute (TEI)

The Environmental Institute at UMass Amherst promotes interdisciplinary research and educational projects that address current environmental problems. TEI supports faculty working groups, helps to secure funding for interdisciplinary projects, organizes conferences and workshops, and participates in other activities that advances environmental research on campus. Within the TEI framework, several centers, including the Environmental Analysis Laboratory and the Earth Science Information Office, work on specific environmental issues. If you'd like to learn more about environmental programs and initiatives, go to the TEI website.

Virtual Center for Supernetworks

An interdisciplinary center housed in the Isenberg School of Management, the Virtual Center for Supernetworks is a resource for members of the academy, government and industry on supernetworks, or networks that exist over and above existing networks. This Center studies the application of supernetworks to economic, environmental, financial, knowledge and social networks. To find out more about the Virtual Center for Supernetworks, click here.

Water Resources Research Center (WRRC)

Established in 1965 after the Water Resources Research Act of 1964, WRRC supports research, education, and outreach on water resources on the state, regional, and national levels. The Center also trains graduate students and is a national leader in utilizing the efforts of volunteers to monitor surface water quality. These efforts have led to the creation of such nationally recognized programs as the Acid Rain Monitoring Project and the Massachusetts Water Watch Partnership. In addition, WRRC operates an annual Water conference and a statewide competitive grants program open to all academic institutions in Massachusetts. For more information on these and many other services and projects, go to WRRC's website.