The Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering (CBE) Department at the Daniel J. Riccio Jr. College of Engineering is defined by research excellence, interdisciplinary reach, and an enduring commitment to the public good. Faculty and students drive discovery in areas central to society’s future, including materials engineering and nanotechnology, sustainable energy and environmental systems, biotechnology, human health, and food security. Yet the department’s ability to sustain this level of excellence is increasingly constrained.
Compared with peer programs at leading public research universities, Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering operates with limited endowed support and far fewer named chairs, professorships, fellowships, and scholarships. While faculty continue to compete successfully for external research funding and maintain strong national reputations, the absence of financial resources has hindered long-term faculty retention, limited support for graduate researchers, and restricted undergraduate access to research experiences. In a funding environment marked by volatility and intensifying competition, this gap threatens the department’s ability to remain among the nation’s leading programs.
In response, the Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering Department is aligning fundraising efforts with Accelerate: The Campaign for UMass Amherst to raise $5 million.
With leading support from the CBE Industrial Advisory Board, this effort will more than double annual revenue from endowed gifts, establish lasting resources through planned giving, and provide flexible current-use funding to navigate uncertain times. Together, these investments reinforce a single, powerful research continuum: faculty who drive innovation, graduate students who advance discovery, and undergraduates who learn by participating directly in research that addresses real-world challenges.
