Driving Real World Impact in a World-Class City
As an R1 institution, UMass Boston's robust research ecosystem serves as a foundation for faculty and student experiences on our campus.
Faculty researchers lead cutting-edge projects, publish in esteemed journals, and collaborate across disciplines to create solutions for real-world issues. Undergraduate students have opportunities to pursue research in classes, intern in Boston-area companies, work in faculty-led labs, present at conferences, and co-author publications. As part of their programs, graduate students in every college at UMass Boston engage in original research projects. Participating in research enables our students to develop subject-matter expertise while also strengthening their critical thinking, communication, and technical skills.
Office of Vice Provost for Research and Strategic Initiatives
Mission & Work
The mission of the Office of the Vice Provost for Research & Strategic Initiatives (VPR) is to grow and support the scope and excellence of research at UMass Boston. The VPR Office includes:
- Office of Research and Sponsored Programs (ORSP)
- Research Computing
- Research Core Facilities
- Venture Development Center (VDC)
Through these units, our dedicated staff deliver a full range of services to the research community, from identifying funding to creating commercial ventures. The VPR Office also identifies and shepherds multi-institution, multi-year projects with diverse and talented research teams where a great deal of planning and partnering are vital to success.
The Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs set strategic goals for and exercises administrative oversight of all freestanding institutes and centers, and the VPR assists in these endeavors.
The University Research Advisory Council makes recommendations related to strengthening research and increasing sponsored program activities. The VPR Office also participates actively in university-wide economic development and international relations initiatives.
Leadership
Bala Sundaram, PhD, Vice Provost for Research & Strategic Initiatives, has served as the VPR since 2017. In the role, he fosters efforts to advance, align, and expand campus research activities, partnerships, and infrastructure.
Donations & Support
To explore how you can advance UMass Boston's research mission through private donations, please visit University Advancement.
Research Magazine
The UMass Boston research magazine highlights stories about the advances our researchers are making in a wide range of fields.