Riccio College of Engineering Faculty Earn 2025 Translational Seed Awards

Research

Four faculty-led research teams from the Riccio College of Engineering have been named recipients of the annual Translational Seed Awards. These awards support applied research and development efforts that move UMass-based engineering research toward real-world impact through startup formation, technology translation, and commercialization of university intellectual property.

The funded engineering projects are:

  • Generative AI for Radiopharmaceutical Therapy (RPT) – Joyita Dutta, professor of biomedical engineering
  • Next-Generation Filtration Technology to Reduce Industrial Waste – Jessica Schiffman, professor of chemical engineering
  • Sustainable Low-Cost Infrastructure Repair Using 3D Printing – Simos Gerasimidis, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering
  • 3D-Printed Shoe Soles to Reduce Osteoarthritic Knee Pain – Sam Wojda, senior lecturer of biomedical engineering

For 2025, award recipients were selected from a highly competitive pool of applicants. Each team will receive between $50,000 and $100,000 in seed funding to achieve key translational milestones, with the goal of advancing UMass Amherst engineering research toward broader impact through startup ventures, out-licensing, partnerships with external organizations, or other commercialization pathways.

Translational Seed Awards are supported by the Manning Innovation Program, the National Science Foundation’s Accelerating Research Translation award (#2331351), and the Institute for Applied Life Sciences (IALS). Past recipients have collectively secured more than $8 million in external funding to further develop their research and resulting startup companies.

“We are grateful for the Manning Family Foundation’s continued support, which has been instrumental in strengthening the campus’s capacity for translational research and startup creation,” said Peter Reinhart, founding director of IALS.

Established in 2018 by alumnus Paul Manning ’77 and his wife, Diane, the Manning Innovation Program has played a central role in advancing a sustainable commercialization pipeline for applied and translational research at UMass Amherst. IALS, founded in 2015, continues to serve as a hub for accelerating research discoveries into real-world solutions.

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