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UMass Downtown and the UMass Amherst Graduate School will present a new public Summer Seminar Series June 17 through Aug. 5.

Each Wednesday evening, the speaker series will connect the local community with doctoral students from a number of academic disciplines who will discuss the research driving their Ph.D. studies. The seminars will be presented in an engaging and approachable format designed to spark conversation, curiosity and connection.

Each session is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. at UMass Downtown, and full descriptions for each seminar can be found here. The events are free, but space is limited and advanced registration is recommended. 

For questions, email [email protected].
 

2026 Summer Seminar Series Lineup

June 17 - Genny Dorgan, Comparative Literature
“A Female Voice in Medieval Academia: Mechthild of Magdeburg and Her Editors”

June 24 - Marcus Smith, Afro-American Studies
“Who Keeps History Alive? Black Grassroots Museums and the Fight to Preserve Memory”

July 1 - Rozy Bathrick, Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, and Sebastian Moreno, Environmental Conservation
“From Flyway to Feeder: The Science Behind Bird Migration, Habitat Stewardship, and Public Engagement”

July 8 - Adam Eichen, Political Science
“Public Opinion on America’s 250th: Insights from the UMass Poll”

July 15 - Ruth Appiah Kubi, Public Health
“Co-Creating Systems of Care That Support Pregnant and Postpartum Individuals”

July 15 - Jeng-Yu Chou, Computer Science
“From Detection to Policy: AI and Human Systems for Safer Digital Spaces”

July 22 - Alex Wilk, Geosciences
“Tackling Climate Change in the East African Tropics: Using Ancient Mud to Predict the Future”

July 29 - Kathleen Mahoney, Education
“Playing is Naturally Scientific: A Case Study of Outdoor Play-Based Science Experiences in Early Childhood Education”

August 5 - Miranda Lutyens, English
“Private Freewriting In and Beyond the Classroom: What Unedited, Unsurveilled Writing Does for College Students and Their Wellbeing”