Innovation & Impact
REVOLUTIONARY RESEARCH
As Massachusetts' flagship public research university, UMass Amherst is proudly committed to translating cutting-edge research into real-world impact—from discoveries that advance medicine and technology to efforts to confront pressing social challenges and adapt to the effects of climate change. UMass Amherst researchers partner with government, nonprofits, and industry alike to serve the Commonwealth and improve lives.
Real-World Impact
In Awards from Private Industry (FY25)
Active Patents
Industry Research Partnerships Annually
UMass Amherst and industry partner EMA are accelerating development and adoption of critical emerging metalense technology in the commonwealth, with applications ranging from smart glasses to medical imaging to self-driving vehicles.
UMass Amherst alumnus Derrick Maxwell is tapping into the university’s robust venture development resources to launch his start-up, which seeks to replace toxic and “forever” chemicals in battery manufacturing.
How do UMass Amherst researchers bring inventions and research discoveries to the marketplace? The university has a robust innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem to help at every step along the way.
UMass Amherst researchers regularly collaborate with private companies large and small, such as Amazon, Bose Corporation, BMW, GOJO Industries, Eversource, BASF, Motif FoodWorks, Inc., and Saucony. Our Mount Ida Campus is a hub of research-industry collaboration and student-focused experiential learning. Here, academic programs align with high-demand areas, including health care, business, computer science, and other STEM specialties, while internships, co-ops, and practicums offer students meaningful real-world experience and industry connections.
The UMass Amherst Core Facilities, managed through the Institute for Applied Life Sciences (IALS), consist of 30 laboratories containing state-of-the-art instrumentation, equipment, and world-class experts available to the industry research communities and academics on campus, throughout Massachusetts, and beyond.
The impact of UMass Amherst’s research extends far beyond the bounds of campus and helps fuel the Massachusetts economy. For example, UMass operates the Gloucester Marine Station, a research outpost in the southern Gulf of Maine, where scientists collaborate with local communities to study coastal change, research ways to foster sustainable ocean systems, and collaborate on pressing issues like the weakening of the commercial fishing industry.
FROM THE LAB TO THE MARKET
The National Science Foundation (NSF) I-Corps site program at UMass Amherst provides funding and training for STEM faculty and students to elevate their research and bring cutting-edge innovations from the lab to the market.