Partnership Aims to Advance Environmental Goals, Opportunities for Students, Industry, Military Veterans and their Families
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Leaders representing UMass Lowell and Florida Gulf Coast University signed a research partnership agreement Monday that will bring new opportunities for students, scientists, veterans and industry professionals at both institutions. From left, are FGCU President Aysegul Timur; UMass Lowell Chancellor Julie Chen; FGCU Vice President of Advancement Kitty Green; UMass President Marty Meehan; and Brian Rist, a UMass Lowell graduate and Florida businessman who helped facilitate the collaboration.
03/19/2025
Media Contacts: David Joyner, senior director, communications and digital media and Nancy Cicco, assistant director of media relations.
LOWELL, Mass. – The University of Massachusetts Lowell and Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) will establish joint education, research and career-connected opportunities to benefit students, faculty and other stakeholders at both institutions, under an agreement announced Monday.
The partnership will unite leaders in science, industry and government in the creation of new dual degree, research and exchange programs, along with paid internships and co-op opportunities for students. Key initiatives include research focused on water, energy and sustainability; AI and advanced technology through FGCU’s Dendritic Institute; and work that promotes the clinical care of veterans, accelerates the growth of veterans’ support programs and facilitates these individuals’ entry into the civilian workforce.
“UMass Lowell is excited to establish collaborative research and innovation teams with Florida Gulf Coast University to create new knowledge, solve challenges and foster opportunities for both institutions, our students and our communities,” said UMass Lowell Chancellor Julie Chen. “Great things happen when leaders in education, government and industry come together for the benefit of all.”
Inaugural collaborators under the agreement include UMass Lowell’s Rist Institute for Sustainability and Energy and The Water School and U.A. Whitaker College of Engineering at FGCU, along with environmental engineering firm Weston & Sampson and Home Base, a national nonprofit agency that provides support services for veterans and their families. Weston & Sampson has a location on UMass Lowell’s campus in Massachusetts and in Fort Myers, Florida, home of FGCU. Home Base has locations on both universities’ campuses.
“This significant partnership with UMass Lowell will pave the way for a variety of joint initiatives in education, research and student experiences. This collaboration aligns seamlessly with Florida Gulf Coast University’s mission and strategic plan, offering valuable opportunities to our faculty, staff and the entire FGCU community,” said Huzefa Kagdi, Ph.D., the dean of the U.A. Whitaker College of Engineering at FGCU. “Together, we will strengthen our existing capabilities and explore new avenues to drive innovation and economic growth in our region. We look forward to embarking on this exciting journey.”
The partnership will strengthen ties between the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and Florida, as the two states work toward common goals of building environmental resiliency and improving the quality of life, while educating the next generation of innovators, said University of Massachusetts President Marty Meehan.
“This partnership between UMass Lowell and Florida Gulf Coast University demonstrates how universities can effectively collaborate across state lines to address critical societal challenges,” said Meehan. “By combining resources and expertise, we are accelerating our shared efforts in both sustainability and veterans’ support, creating meaningful opportunities for our students, advancing groundbreaking research, and making greater contributions to the communities we serve.”
Facilitating the agreement between the universities was UMass Lowell graduate Brian Rist ’77, ’22, ’22 (H), the namesake of the university’s Rist Institute and the founder and former president of Storm Smart Industries of Fort Myers, a front-runner in the development of outdoor building protection products to guard against hurricane damage.
“It is wonderful to see these outstanding universities come together through this collaboration. As a first-generation college student in Lowell in the ’70s, I saw first-hand the transformative impact that higher education can have. That’s why I am so happy to support both UMass Lowell and Florida Gulf Coast University today – major economic engines in Massachusetts and Southwest Florida,” Rist said. “With a focus on sustainability and business innovation in partnership with industry and government, this collaboration will lead to great things. The fact that both universities are also collaborating with Home Base in support of our nation’s incredible veterans and their families means so much to my family, and families across our country. I couldn’t be prouder.”
Under the agreement, the universities will seek research and career opportunities for students to develop sustainable materials and chemicals that don’t harm water resources – an initiative already underway at UMass Lowell. The partnership will also call upon the expertise of engineers at Weston & Sampson, who are conducting water and resiliency work in the state of Florida, notably for communities adjacent to the FGCU campus.
UMass Lowell and FGCU will also join forces to improve the lives of veterans and their families assisted by Home Base. The agency works to heal the hidden wounds of combat through clinical care, wellness, education and research, at no cost to veterans.
Under the agreement, the collaborators will pursue research that supports veterans’ clinical care, physical rehabilitation, cognitive well-being and overall health, while developing career opportunities with Home Base for UMass Lowell and FGCU students.
The universities will also leverage their expertise and relationships with public and private industry to bring innovations in veterans’ care from the drawing board to the marketplace.