Located in western Massachusetts, UMass Amherst is the flagship campus of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts' five-campus University of Massachusetts system. UMass Amherst is a nationally recognized teaching and research institution with a current enrollment of about 28,500 students.

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Food shapes our health, our cultures, our communities, our economies, and our planet. UMass Amherst’s $120 million Future of Food initiative—a joint commitment from the university, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and the Manning Family Foundation—will transform how we understand, produce, and experience food. 

Connecting researchers, students, industry, and communities across disciplines, Future of Food will accelerate discovery and turn research into solutions for healthier people, stronger communities, and more sustainable food systems. 

Learn more about the Future of Food:

A Bold New Vision for the Future of Food

The International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) is a system for representing how speech is pronounced, rather than written. IPA is very useful, but also very difficult to transcribe. UMass Amherst's Joe Pater and Virginia Partridge have created a system that uses artificial intelligence to automatically translate speech into IPA.

UMass Amherst, the flagship campus of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is the largest public research university in New England, distinguished by the excellence and breadth of its academic, research and community programs. 

UMass Amherst stretches across more than 1,400 acres of land in the historic Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts, providing a rich cultural environment in a rural setting close to major urban centers - campus sits 90 miles from Boston and 175 miles from New York City. The idyllic college town of Amherst is home to hiking, biking, museums, music, theater, history, food, farms and much more. UMass Amherst also joins a local consortium of five nationally recognized colleges, including Amherst, Hampshire, Mount Holyoke and Smith colleges.

For more information on UMass Amherst, visit: https://umass.edu

Breaking Down Speech into Sounds with AI

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Will Artificial Intelligence Destroy Us All?

Associate Professor of Public Policy, Communication and Information

A.I.

Social Media Governance

Technology and Social Change

Digital Public Infrastructure

Online Community Governance

Social Media

  As tech insiders warn about an impending apocalypse, Ethan Zuckerman of UMass Amherst examines those claims in an appearance on The Prospect Podcast. Zuckerman discusses AI agents going rogue in the Hugging Face incident, as well as recent calls from tech leaders to slow down AI development. With Trump dismissing safety concerns, Zuckerman also discusses US competition with China, how global thinking around AI differs—and why he doesn't trust the industry to self-regulate. He explores how we can reclaim agency around AI, and the importance of local and community-oriented conversations, including a surprising initiative from a Maori radio station. Plus, what might a uniquely British AI look like?


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Boston Public Radio Podcast: Cybersecurity in the Schools

Director of Cybersecurity Institute and Distinguished Professor in the Manning College of Information & Computer Sciences

Cybersecurity

AI Safety

internet-based child exploitation

Digital Forensics

Network Security

Internet Security

Child Rescue

  On this podcast from WGBH, Brian Levine (director of the  Cybersecurity Institute at UMass Amherst) discusses the recent cyberattack at Springfield Public Schools, these types of attacks in general, and personal data privacy and security measures people can take to protect themselves and their children. 


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Fran Berman: Who Protects the Public From AI?

Stuart Rice Honorary Chair and Research Professor, Manning College of Information and Computer Sciences

Social Impacts of AI

Gender and whistleblowing

Social impacts of Technology

Internet of Things

Data Stewardship and Cyberinfrastructure

Public Interest Technology

Whistleblowing

  AI is rapidly becoming part of the critical infrastructure of modern life. But Francine Berman argues that we still govern much of digital technology as if it were simply another commercial product.

In this video, Berman, author of Better Tech: Putting People First in Cyberspace, joins Energi Media to explain why search engines, social media, digital finance and AI now require the kinds of public-interest guardrails society eventually built around automobiles, buildings and other essential infrastructure.

The conversation explores the tension between private-sector innovation and public protection, the European Union's risk-based approach to AI regulation, why humans must remain accountable for high-risk decisions, and how the global AI race can make governments reluctant to regulate.

Berman's central argument is simple: Humans created these systems, humans can change them, and there is no single magic bullet. Better technology will require a long game of safer design, effective regulation, public pressure and millions of smaller choices that collectively shift digital systems toward the public interest. 


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Is Government Corruption Becoming a Defining Issue in the Midterm Elections?

As Americans prepare to vote November 3, UMass Amherst political scientist Ray La Raja examines how concerns about corruption, government fraud and the economy are shaping the political debate.

Professor of Political Science / Co-Director of UMass Poll

Public Policy and Organizations

Elections and Polling

Political Science

Campaign Finance

American Politics

 With the U.S. midterm elections just days away, concerns about government corruption are emerging as an important issue for voters, raising questions about how Americans define corruption, whom they hold responsible and how those perceptions could influence their decisions at the ballot box.

In an Oct. 26 interview featured on NPR's All Things Considered, Ray La Raja, professor of political science at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and co-director of the UMass Amherst Poll, discussed growing public concern about corruption and the competing political narratives surrounding the Trump administration's efforts to combat fraud.

 The segment, The Trump Administration Is Taking on Fraud Ahead of the Midterm Elections, reported by NPR's Emily Feng, examined President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance's efforts to make government fraud and abuse a central policy focus ahead of the elections.

La Raja, who surveyed Americans about corruption in September, found widespread concern about the issue, consistent with other national polling showing that nearly nine in ten Americans are worried about government corruption.

 "I believe this is pretty much off the charts," La Raja told NPR, emphasizing the extent of public concern. He also highlighted the connection between corruption and the economic issues that traditionally motivate voters."But it's especially powerful when people are already upset about the issue that usually motivates voters, and that's the economy." View his profile His research reveals important differences in how Democrats and Republicans perceive the problem.

While Democrats overwhelmingly identify the presidency as a source of corruption, Republicans tend to view corruption as a more systemic problem involving government bureaucracy and fraudulent claims against federal programs.

His research offers valuable insight into how political messaging, public trust, economic anxiety and partisan perceptions intersect during a consequential election.

An expert in American politics, elections, polling, political parties, campaign finance and political reform, La Raja brings extensive research experience to questions about voter attitudes, democratic accountability and the forces influencing political participation.

With the midterm elections approaching on Tuesday, Nov. 3, Ray La Raja is available to speak with journalists seeking expert analysis of government corruption, voter concerns, political messaging, public opinion and the issues shaping the 2026 elections.

To arrange an interview with La Raja, click on his ExpertFile profile below.


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Expert Insight: Tariff Turmoil Is Changing How Businesses Price Their Products

UMass Amherst supply chain expert Anna Nagurney explains why unpredictable trade policies are forcing companies to rethink pricing, costs and supply chains.

Eugene M. Isenberg Chair in Integrative Studies, Isenberg School of Management

War in in Ukraine and supply issues

Cold Chain Logistics

Supply Chain and Logistics Management

Sustainable Supply Chains

COVID-19 and supply chains

Tariffs are no longer simply a trade policy issue. They are becoming a significant challenge for businesses trying to manage costs, protect profits and remain competitive in an increasingly unpredictable global marketplace.

A recent Reuters Plus feature, Why Tariff Volatility Makes Pricing a Forever Process, produced for global consultancy Simon-Kucher, examines how rapidly changing tariffs are forcing companies to continuously reassess their pricing strategies and supply chains.

 Among the experts featured is Anna Nagurney, Eugene M. Isenberg Chair in Integrative Studies at the Isenberg School of Management at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. View her profile Nagurney, an internationally recognized expert in supply chain networks and disruption management, points to the extraordinary pace of trade policy changes. She estimates that U.S. tariff regulations changed approximately 50 times during 2025, creating uncertainty for manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers and consumers.

 "The speed and uncertainty created a great deal of challenges for manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers and, of course, consumers."   Why Even Domestic Businesses Are Vulnerable  One of the article's central messages is that businesses do not have to import products directly to feel the impact of tariffs.

Higher costs can spread throughout interconnected supply chains, affecting suppliers, transportation networks and ultimately consumers.

Nagurney emphasizes the importance of viewing supply chains as networks rather than simple, linear systems. By identifying critical suppliers, examining vulnerabilities and preparing for potential disruptions, businesses can make better decisions before costs escalate.

She also cautions that smaller companies may struggle to absorb tariff-related increases without jeopardizing their financial stability.

As businesses face continued uncertainty, Nagurney can provide valuable perspective on how tariffs influence supply chains, consumer prices, business competitiveness and the broader economy.

An experienced commentator on global supply chain disruptions, Nagurney has provided analysis to major news organizations, including The New York Times, Associated Press, NPR, The Washington Post, The Boston Globe and The Wall Street Journal.

If you're interested in speaking with Anna Nagurney about tariffs, supply chain disruptions, pricing pressures, international trade and economic uncertainty, simply click on her  profile to arrange an interview today.


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Are Small-Dollar Political Donations Making American Politics More Divisive?

UMass Amherst political scientist Ray La Raja examines how small-dollar donations may be fueling political polarization.

Small-dollar political donations have long been celebrated as a way to reduce the influence of wealthy contributors and give ordinary Americans a greater voice in elections. But new research suggests that the growing influence of these donors may also be contributing to political polarization and rewarding candidates who generate attention rather than build consensus.

In an article published in The Atlantic, titled Small-Dollar Campaign Donors Are Hurting the Political System, journalist Idrees Kahloon examines how the explosion of grassroots political fundraising has changed American campaigns, drawing attention to research challenging the assumption that small donations necessarily produce healthier democratic outcomes.

 Among the researchers examining this trend is Ray La Raja, professor of political science and co-director of the UMass Amherst Poll at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. View his profile La Raja is co-author, with Zachary Albert of Brandeis University, of the 2026 book Small Donors in US Politics: Myth and Reality, which examines who contributes to political campaigns, what motivates their donations and how their growing influence affects elections and political representation.

 Their research finds that small-dollar donors are often more politically engaged, more partisan and more ideologically committed than the average voter. While these contributions can broaden participation in campaign financing, they can also encourage candidates to pursue national attention and emotionally charged fundraising appeals rather than focus on local concerns or legislative compromise.

The findings raise important questions about whether the growing influence of small donors is strengthening political representation or creating new incentives for polarization.

The issue is particularly relevant ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, as candidates and political parties compete for campaign contributions in an increasingly nationalized fundraising environment.

La Raja's work also examines the role of political parties in campaign finance and whether reforms designed to reduce the influence of large donors have produced unintended consequences.

With campaign fundraising, political polarization and democratic accountability increasingly connected, La Raja offers journalists a research-based perspective on one of the less understood forces shaping American elections.

If you're interested in speaking with Ray La Raja about campaign finance, small-dollar political donations, political polarization, election reform and the influence of money on American democracy, simply click on his  profile to arrange an interview today.


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