Inside UMassD: November 5, 2026

Campus Community Accomplishments

Assistant Dean for Public Interest Law John Quinn and Law students were featured in an article about an initiative in New Bedford to help resolve legal issues related to vacant properties and the impacts on the city's housing stock.

Professor Soheil Sibdari (Decision & Information Sciences) was interviewed on how changing trade policies affect freight movement, transportation networks, and supply chains.

Professor Jia Wu (Accounting and Finance) was featured in an article that discusses best practices for managing personal budgets by focusing on budget categories. 

Assistant Professor Lisa Owens (Law) was featured in The New York Times to discuss surveillance and public housing, commenting on a growing trend of smart monitoring devices in affordable housing units.

Assistant Teaching Professor Basil H. Aboul-Enein (Health & Society) recently co-published "School-based nutrition interventions conducted in Greece and the Republic of Cyprus: A scoping review" in Frontiers in Nutrition. This scoping review aimed to map and synthesize the characteristics, theoretical frameworks, delivery methods, and reported outcomes of school-based nutrition interventions conducted in both Greece and the Republic of Cyprus. 

Professor Emeritus Avijit Gangopadhyay (Estuarine & Ocean Sciences) co-authored "The Cold Fresh Pulse in the Northwest Atlantic in 2023/2024" in JGR Oceans. The article examined fluctuating temperatures and ocean currents in the Atlantic Ocean and the impact on marine life.  

UMass Dartmouth faculty members have earned international recognition for the impact of their research, with several named to the 2026 Stanford-Elsevier Top 2% Scientists list and others recognized as ScholarGPS Highly Ranked Scholars. The Stanford-Elsevier Top 2% Scientists list identifies researchers whose published work demonstrates significant impact within their scientific fields as measured by citation data. ScholarGPS Highly Ranked Scholars rank among the top 0.05% in their respective fields, disciplines, or specialties based on the productivity, impact, and quality of their scholarly contributions.

Donna M. and Robert J. Manning Dean of SMAST Kevin Stokesbury received received $445,000 from the NSF for "NSF Seafood Engine in New England (NSPIRE)". The project will build on an existing prototype catch-monitoring system to expand its capabilities to provide real-time stereoscopic video.

Professor Miles Sundermeyer (Estuarine and Ocean Sciences) received a funding increase for the project "STTR PHASE II Atmospheric Aerosol Model and Data Collection Over the Marine Boundary Layer for Imaging/Radiofrequency (RF) and Laser Beam Propagation", bringing the new total award amount to $483,333. The project examines how marine aerosols and atmospheric turbulence affect periscope imaging and other military-related technologies.

Assistant Professor Ilknur Yesilcinar (Nursing) was elected Chair of the International Society of Nurses in Genetics and is now part of the Global Membership Committee as part of the organization's 2026 Board of Directors and Committee Elections. In this position, Yesilcinar will collaborate with members worldwide to strengthen global engagement, foster international connections, and support membership growth.

Assistant Director of Campus Sustainability Jamie Jacquart recently presented two sessions at the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education. Jacquart's sessions highlighted UMass Dartmouth's reusable water bottle program, where people can earn stickers by attending programs throughout the year, and the University's youth sustainability summit as a scalable national model.