Joint Research Adds New Member To Lowell Innovation Network Corridor
The Lowell Innovation Network Corridor is the heart of an exciting economic transformation in Lowell.
07/09/2024
Media Contacts: Emily Gowdey-Backus, director of media relations; Nancy Cicco, assistant director of media relations
UMass Lowell and Mass General Brigham announced today a new collaboration to advance cognitive and decision-making performance for members of the military, law enforcement and security during stressful, complex situations.
Together, they will tap the expertise of researchers at each institution to adapt and apply knowledge developed for top athletes to create a library of realistic training scenarios designed to enhance specific aspects of cognition as identified by the U.S. armed services.
Mass General Brigham will be an additional member of the Lowell Innovation Network Corridor’s (LINC) initial rollout. Draper announced in March they will join LINC.
In addition to the joint research, UMass Lowell Chancellor Julie Chen praised the opportunities created for students for advanced learning through co-ops, internships and hands-on learning.
“Working directly with Mass General Brigham gives our students the opportunity to work with a world-class organization and engage in unrivaled learning experiences in kinesiology, exercise physiology, neuroscience and across the life sciences,” Chen said.
Chen also pointed to opportunities for faculty and researchers at both organizations to advance discoveries through UMass Lowell’s HEROES (Harnessing Emerging Research Opportunities to Empower Soldiers) and Mass General Brigham’s Center for Sports Performance and Research.
“All of us at Mass General Brigham are so proud to collaborate with UMass Lowell to bring our cutting-edge science and training techniques to support first responders and our military. Ensuring these brave individuals have access to perform their duties in the best way possible is something our entire team at the Center for Sports Performance and Research is ready to get started,” said R. Scott Gassett, vice president of sports medicine at Mass General Brigham.
The announcement comes immediately following a major event focused on human performance on June 24 and 25 at Gillette Stadium called “Unlocking Human Potential: Future Performance, Cognition and Machine Collaboration for Public Health and National Security” sponsored by UMass Lowell, Mass General Brigham and Boston-based accelerator Mass Challenge.
The event included panels emphasizing roles of women leaders in defense and industry. Speakers in research and technology fields talked about talent identification and recruitment, development and retention, as well as leadership approaches and strategies.
Keynote speakers included Jennifer Santos, vice president and chief strategy officer at Draper; Michelle O’Hara, executive vice president and chief Human Resources officer at SAIC; Lisa Sanders, director of science and technology for Special Operations Forces, Acquisition, Technology & Logistics, U.S. Special Operations Command; and Kimberly Ploskonka, principal deputy, DEVCOM Army Research Lab Regional Site Synchronization Office. Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll also attended and spoke at the conference.
“We’re excited to welcome Mass General Brigham to Lowell,” Chen said. “We’re well on our way to creating a critical mass of public, private and non-profit collaborators to continue growing our research, providing our students outstanding learning opportunities and creating positive economic impact in Lowell.”
Congresswoman Lori Trahan, who helped launch LINC in March, applauded the announcement.
“With the addition of Mass General Brigham, the Lowell Innovation Network Corridor continues to attract exceptional organizations leading cutting-edge work in health, sciences, microelectronics and manufacturing,” said Congresswoman Trahan. “The future is bright for UMass Lowell students, Mill City families, and our local economy, which will benefit from the $3.7 billion in economic activity and 2,000 permanent jobs created through LINC.”
Additional Background
LINC
The Lowell Innovation Network Corridor, or LINC, will be at the heart of an economic transformation in Lowell. The new development will help meet the facilities, workforce and research needs of companies seeking to relocate to Lowell to work alongside university faculty researchers and students.
The Lowell Innovation Network Corridor, or LINC, will be at the heart of an economic transformation in Lowell. The new development will help meet the facilities, workforce and research needs of companies seeking to relocate to Lowell to work alongside university faculty researchers and students.
Members of the public-private development include research non-profit Draper Laboratory, Mass General Brigham, UMass Lowell and the City of Lowell. UMass Lowell is leading active conversations with additional potential members to scale up existing university-industry partnerships across multiple sectors including robotics, biotechnology and biomedical devices, space technology, sensors, climate tech, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, electronics and human performance.
LINC is anticipated to create 1,300 construction jobs and 2,000 permanent jobs, nearly 500 new housing units, 1.2 million square feet of labs, office space, housing, restaurants, retail and entertainment venues while generating $4 million to $6 million in annual tax revenue for the City of Lowell.
Center for Sports Performance and Research
The Mass General Brigham Center for Sports Performance and Research offers a science-based approach to the training of sport and tactical athletes. Its team conducts innovative research to enhance and sustain athletic performance and aid fast and effective athlete recovery. As the organization charged with serving as head team physicians for the New England Patriots, Boston Red Sox, Boston Bruins and New England Revolution, Mass General Brigham advances the latest performance and sports medicine research, combined with high-tech sports training equipment to develop scientifically based programs specific to athletes’ needs and goals.
The Mass General Brigham Center for Sports Performance and Research offers a science-based approach to the training of sport and tactical athletes. Its team conducts innovative research to enhance and sustain athletic performance and aid fast and effective athlete recovery. As the organization charged with serving as head team physicians for the New England Patriots, Boston Red Sox, Boston Bruins and New England Revolution, Mass General Brigham advances the latest performance and sports medicine research, combined with high-tech sports training equipment to develop scientifically based programs specific to athletes’ needs and goals.
HEROES
UMass Lowell’s Harnessing Emerging Research Opportunities to Empower Soldiers (HEROES) is an interdisciplinary research and development group of students, staff and faculty working alongside U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Solider Center scientists and engineers to transform ideas into products to increase national security and enhance U.S. soldiers’ safety and capabilities. The center has nearly 100 faculty and hundreds of student researchers across many academic disciplines. Some 180 individual projects totaling more than $45 million have been funded, resulting in 14 patents and dozens of published research papers.
UMass Lowell’s Harnessing Emerging Research Opportunities to Empower Soldiers (HEROES) is an interdisciplinary research and development group of students, staff and faculty working alongside U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Solider Center scientists and engineers to transform ideas into products to increase national security and enhance U.S. soldiers’ safety and capabilities. The center has nearly 100 faculty and hundreds of student researchers across many academic disciplines. Some 180 individual projects totaling more than $45 million have been funded, resulting in 14 patents and dozens of published research papers.