The UMass Board of Trustees has appointed Jim Watkins as the recipient of the Eugene M. and Ronnie Isenberg Professorship in Integrative Science. This endowed professorship recognizes a faculty member who has demonstrated exceptional leadership in innovation and who will advance the Isenberg Professorship’s mission of strengthening interdisciplinary research and education across UMass Amherst. Professor Watkins is an internationally recognized polymer scientist with more than 160 publications in top-tier journals and nearly 10,000 citations.
“Jim is among our most innovative faculty by any metric! It's wonderful to have him honored with the CNS Eugene and Ronnie Isenberg Professorship. Having co-taught Science & Engineering Management with him for more than a decade, I know how he will bring energy and excitement to driving innovation across CNS and the entire campus. His real-world experience of taking innovative technology from bench to market, including his most recent venture with Myrias Optics, takes leadership to a new level, and UMass Amherst will benefit enormously.”
— Alfred J. Crosby, PSE Department Head