College Gets REU Grant for 2010-2011 Thanks to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), the College of Engineering will receive $228,888 from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to fund a college-wide Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program for the summers of 2010 and 2011. The principal investigator for the grant is Dean Mike Malone, and the co-principal investigator is Assistant Dean Kathy Rubin. The name of the project is "REU Site: Preparing for Graduate School Through Interdisciplinary Summer Research." The NSF funding will support 12 REU students for each of the summers of 2010 and 2011. Read More

Transportation Center Hosts National Meeting On June 30 to July 2, the University of Massachusetts Transportation Center is hosting a national meeting of the Council of University Transportation Centers (CUTC) in the Campus Center. CUTC represents more than 60 of the nation’s leading university-based transportation research and education programs. The UMass Transportation Center is responsible for promoting transportation research and outreach services that engage academic resources throughout the UMass system. The CUTC was established in 1979 by the major transportation research centers and institutes in the United States. Collectively, CUTC members have advanced the state-of-the-art in all modes and disciplines of transportation. In doing so, the membership of CUTC has made significant and lasting contributions to the nation's mobility, economy, and defense. Read More

Shaw Group Makes Gift to Diversity Programs The Shaw Group Inc. has awarded the Diversity Programs Office (DPO) $10,000 in unrestricted funds to assist the office with tutoring, outreach programs, and any academic and professional development workshops it stages for students. The DPO Tutoring Program expanded to serve over 175 engineering students this past year, while several hundred high-school girls, girl scouts, and minority students benefitted from its outreach programs. The DPO provides academic and nonacademic support to increase enrollment, retention, and graduation among under-represented minorities and women. The Shaw Group Inc. is a leading global provider of technology, engineering, procurement, construction, maintenance, fabrication, manufacturing, consulting, remediation, and facilities management services for government and private sector clients in the energy, chemicals, environmental, infrastructure, and emergency response markets. Read More