Sen. Markey, Rep. McGovern Visit UMass to Celebrate $2 Million in New Federal Investments for Key Campus Initiatives

U.S. Sen. Ed Markey and Congressman Jim McGovern visited the UMass Amherst campus today to celebrate the nearly $2 million in congressionally directed funding to support projects for the recently launched Energy Transition Institute and in the Manning College of Information and Computer Sciences (CICS). The funding, championed by Markey, McGovern and U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, was included in the $1.5 trillion omnibus spending bill recently signed into law by President Joe Biden.

The funding advances important diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, including CICS scholarships and fellowships for women and underrepresented minorities, and funding to place equity and justice in the vanguard of a clean energy system.

"UMass Amherst has long been a champion for climate justice and stands at the forefront of groundbreaking energy science and technologies," said Markey. "I am proud to have helped secure $995,000 in funding for UMASS Amherst's Energy Transition Institute so that we can develop new solutions and educate the next generation of leaders in the clean energy economy. With this funding, we can support important climate research and deepen engagement with communities that have been disproportionately impacted by the effects of climate change."

"Robotics and computer science skills are a critical need for today's employers," said McGovern. "This funding helps ensure every student has the chance to join in on a quickly growing field and make their mark on the world in a challenging and rewarding career. I'm thrilled to partner with Senator Markey and his team to deliver for Massachusetts students, support groundbreaking academic opportunities and make this funding a reality."

The university's Energy Transition Institute (ETI) received $995,000 to bolster three of its main objectives: to support community-engaged research to develop an equitable energy transition framework in Massachusetts' gateway cities; to fund graduate and post-graduate energy transition research fellowships; and to support research and development of innovative low-cost methods for moving electricity distribution lines and broadband cables underground.

The Manning College of Information and Computer Sciences (CICS) will use part of its $1 million earmark to fund scholarships to recruit women and underrepresented minority students to master's and bachelor's programs in computer science or infomatics, which will help achieve its ambitious goal of increasing female enrollment from 27% in 2019 to at least 40% by 2024. CICS will also allocate some of the funds to expand its robotics program through outreach to middle- and high-school students and robotics externships to give teachers in minority-serving high schools and educators at historically black colleges and universities access to current research in robotics and autonomous systems.

This story was originally published by the UMass Amherst Office of News & Media Relations.