Students Gain Research Experience

As a student in the Zuckerberg College of Health Sciences, you’ll have opportunities to be engaged in research by connecting with professors and taking advantage of UMass Lowell's cooperative research program.

Sometimes students come to campus not realizing they would enjoy research until they experience it. That’s what the college experience is all about. We encourage you to expand your horizons and find those unlikely connections.

Our students participate in co-ops, internships and research symposiums. Depending upon your major, you'll also have the opportunity to be involved in community engagement projects.

Student Spotlight

Marita Merheb using a microscope in a UMass Lowell lab

Merita Merheb, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Marketing and Management Option

Merita Merheb's summer internship at UMass Chan Medical School opened her eyes to the world of research. “When I got into the Cancer Research Office to work on cancer drug trials, I knew I was meant to participate in the program,” says Merheb, who has lost family members to cancer. She worked on drug trials for leukemia and breast and prostate cancers. Working alongside research nurses, research coordinators and doctors, she monitored patients on each trial.

Read Merita Merheb's Profile

Thomas Sherriff with another guy stand in front of UMass Lowell Health Assessment Laboratory sign on a wall

Thomas Sherriff, Exercise Science and Doctor of Physical Therapy

As an undergraduate exercise science major in the Honors College, Thomas Sherriff worked with faculty researchers studying knee pain and gait patterns in runners, as well as bone health in college-aged students. He also studied heart rate variability and movement quality among active-duty firefighters, an area to which he was drawn. “I had the pleasure of presenting at local, regional, and national-level conferences during my time as a student at UMass Lowell,” says Sherriff.

Read Thomas Sherriff's Profile

Caroline Owusu works at a table in a hospital

Caroline Owusu, Nursing

Nursing major Caroline Owusu felt fortunate to win a $3,000 internship scholarship from UMass Lowell so that she could get paid professional experience. She helped Assoc. Prof. Ainat Koren conduct research into whether childhood obesity increased during the pandemic. That opened a new door for Owusu, who discovered “a passion for research.” The experience included crafting a survey for parents on their children’s eating, activity and weight gain or loss during the pandemic. “The whole process has been fascinating,” Owusu says.

Read Caroline Owusu's Profile

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