Recent News

Rotello Among Twelve UMass Amherst Researchers Recognized for Being Highly Cited

Chemistry's own Vincent Rotello is one of twelve researchers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst who have been recognized for being among the world’s most highly cited researchers in 2018.

The analysis by Philadelphia-based Clarivate Analytics, owner of Web of Science, serves as the basis for regular listings of researchers whose citation records put them in the top one percent by citations for their field and year.

These scientists are judged to be “influential,” and their citation records are seen as “a mark of exceptional impact,” the company says. This year’s list from UMass Amherst includes five more than the seven named in 2017. Placement on the list has been recognized as a significant achievement for those named, Clarivate says.

The twelve recognized for 2018 are astronomers Daniela Calzetti and Mauro Giavalisco; polymer science and engineering professor Thomas P. Russell; microbiologist Derek Lovley, environmental scientist Baoshan Xing of the Stockbridge School, chemist Vincent Rotello and his former graduate student Chaekyu Kim, and food scientists Eric Decker, David Julian McClements, Yeonhwa Park, Hang Xiao and their former graduate student Cheng Qian.

UMass Chemistry Launches Faculty Search for Three Tenure-Track Positions

Tenure Track Assistant Professor - Materials Chemistry
The Department of Chemistry at the University of Massachusetts Amherst is embarking on a strategic hiring program enabled by a $102M investment in the new Physical Sciences Building and a $45M investment in the University’s core facilities. We are seeking talented applicants for two tenure-track faculty at the Assistant Professor level to begin September 2019 or thereafter. Under exceptional circumstances, highly qualified candidates at other ranks may receive consideration. We seek applicants who will develop or continue vigorous research programs in the areas of synthetic materials chemistry and/or characterization of materials/interfaces.

Tenure Track Assistant Professor - DNA/RNA Delivery
The Department of Chemistry at the University of Massachusetts and the Center for Bioactive Delivery at the Institute for Applied Life Sciences are embarking on a strategic hiring program enabled by the creation of this Institute. Applications are invited for a full-time, tenure track faculty position in the Chemistry Department at the Assistant Professor level to begin September 2019 or thereafter. We seek applicants who will develop or continue a vigorous research program in the use of or delivery of biomolecules, especially RNA, for the development of therapeutic candidates to treat diseases or disorders. Areas of interest include, but are not limited to, siRNA/miRNA methodologies or delivery technologies, mRNA-based therapies, RNA/protein design, selection or engineering, and novel genome editing technologies.

Weaver Discusses the Importance of STEM Programs with 22News InFocus

Prof. Gabriela Weaver, Special Assistant to the Provost for Educational Initiatives, was a recent guest panelist on the 22News program InFocus which discussed STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) education programs in higher education.

Weaver was joined by other area educators in describing integrations, mentorship, and outreach programs connected with STEM fields. Weaver explained mentorship roles as a key component to retaining students and how they can lead to internship opportunities providing hands on experience and opens the door to explore new fields. UMass Amherst has partnered with Girls Inc. of Holyoke through a program called Eureka! to offer unique opportunities for girls to help tackle the gender gap in the STEM fields. The Girls Inc. participants grades 8-12 spend a month working with various faculty on projects in STEM fields to encourage the young women into related courses of study.

Fabric Alternative to Batteries for Wearable Devices

A major factor holding back development of wearable biosensors for health monitoring is the lack of a lightweight, long-lasting power supply. Now scientists at the University of Massachusetts Amherst led by materials chemist Trisha L. Andrew report that they have developed a method for making a charge-storing system that is easily integrated into clothing for “embroidering a charge-storing pattern onto any garment.”

As Andrew explains, “Batteries or other kinds of charge storage are still the limiting components for most portable, wearable, ingestible or flexible technologies. The devices tend to be some combination of too large, too heavy and not flexible.”

Their new method uses a micro-supercapacitor and combines vapor-coated conductive threads with a polymer film, plus a special sewing technique to create a flexible mesh of aligned electrodes on a textile backing. The resulting solid-state device has a high ability to store charge for its size, and other characteristics that allow it to power wearable biosensors.

 

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