Research
Working closely with faculty experts, our students put theory into practice through on-site and off-site research opportunities.
Our faculty are leaders in their fields and mentors in the classroom.
Our faculty and students are actively engaged in research, scholarship and creative work. They publish intriguing research articles, exhibit original artwork, share their expertise at major conferences — and so much more.
Working closely with a faculty mentor, our students conduct, present, and publish cutting-edge empirical research. You’ll gain hands-on experience in the classroom and graduate with a remarkable record of publications, professional experience, and an extensive portfolio.
Research Centers and Resources
Research Labs
Our modern teaching laboratories are designed for high-impact, active-learning teaching and research practices and are capped at 16 students to increase faculty-student interactions. Four faculty-student research clusters foster interdisciplinary collaborations and include a biomedical ultrasound laboratory; a microscopy center; a separation, quantitation, and spectroscopy center, and three level two certified tissue culture and microorganisms laboratories.
Centers with a Focus on Research
Research is at the heart of the work done in many of the centers on campus.
Programs and Funds with a Research Component
The Office of Research and Fellowships offers a range of programs that support student academic and professional growth.
Fellowships and Research Funding
As an undergraduate student you will have numerous opportunities to explore scholarly and creative passions, participate in paid, hands-on research experiences, present at national and international conferences, receive mentorship from faculty, pursue global experiences, and connect with community leaders, organizations, hospitals, and world-renowned research laboratories in the Boston area and beyond.
Student Research in the News
3+2 Engineering Student Researches Ultrasound Technology
Maya McCabe ’27 is a biochemistry major and physics minor in the dual degree (3+2) engineering program. She spoke with us about her research funded by the Focused Ultrasound Foundation and the hands-on STEM training she is receiving at Simmons.
Forays into Information Literacy and Civic Engagement
Fiona Coughlin ’26MS conducted an independent research project on building social media literacy skills for undergraduate students. To make this possible, she secured International Review Board approval to conduct interviews with the General Education faculty at Simmons, and grant funding from the Simmons Center for Information Literacy.
Researching Harm Reduction, Cultivating Compassionate Care
Vanessa Iroegbulem ’26MSW reflects on two of the impactful experiences during her time at Simmons: her clinical placements and her participation in the Harm Reduction Training (HaRT) Scholars Program.
Specializing in Visual Literacy and Women’s Military History
Aurora Daniel ’26MSMA had the honor of serving as the president of the Library and Information Science Student Association, the student government for Simmons’ School of Library and Information Science while pursuing her Masters in Library and Information Science and Master of Arts in History.
Reframing Libraries as Dynamic ‘Learning Labs’
Zachary Newell ’26PhD shares a bit about his research involving how we can make library learning more creative and engaging for students, as well as the mentorship he received while a student at Simmons.
STEM Student Receives Presentation Award
International student and data science and analytics major Janhavi Beley ’27 recently received the 2025 Student Presentation Award from the Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics & Native Americans in Science (SACNAS) National Diversity in STEM conference. We spoke with her about this honor and studying STEM at Simmons.
Six Students Selected for the 2026 Senior Scholar Award
Six graduating seniors have been selected for the prestigious Senior Scholar Award at Simmons University. Sponsored by the Provost’s Office and the Office of Research and Fellowships, the Senior Scholar Award recognizes outstanding scholarly research and creative works across a variety of disciplinary fields.
Pre-Dentistry Students Doing Ultrasound Research at Simmons
Biochemistry majors and pre-dental students Aseya Mahamed ’27 and Kamryn Sanborn ’28 are researching the use of high-intensity ultrasound for the non-invasive treatment of endodontic infections at the Biomedical Ultrasound Lab.
Alumnae/i Research in the News
Double Shark in Behavior Analysis Examines Microaggressions
Amy Maladore ’16MS ’25PhD earned her master’s and PhD in behavior analysis from Simmons, and her research explores the use of behavior analytic concepts to increase recognition of racist behavior. We spoke to Maladore about what brought her to study behavior analysis at Simmons.
Alumna Brings Behavior Analysis Insights to Education
Megan Breault ’13MS ’25PhD is a graduate of the Simmons University Master of Science in Behavior Analysis and Phd in Behavior Analysis. Breault presented her dissertation research at the Contemporary Developments in Behavior Analysis Virtual Conference, hosted by Simmons’ Department of Behavior Analysis in January 2026.
Physical Therapist Alumna Finds Her Dream Job
Nina Testa ’23, ’25DPT is an outpatient physical therapist at the Northeast Rehabilitation Hospital Network in Haverhill, MA. To honor National Physical Therapy Month (October) 2025, we spoke with her about the value of Simmons’ accelerated education, her recent research, and the University’s inclusive atmosphere.
Public Health Alum Addresses Housing Insecurity
Sam Geheran ’25MPH is passionate about the right to safe housing. We spoke with them about their research on unhoused populations, their interest in public health, and the inspiring atmosphere at Simmons.
Digital Girlhoods and the Adult Response to Tweens Online
Katherine A Phelps ’13MA has published her first book, Digital Girlhoods (Temple University Press, 2025), exploring the potential pitfalls and opportunities for tween girls engaging in social media.
Simmons Exercise Science Alumnae Share Research at Conference
Health and Exercise Science alumnae Haleigh St.Hilaire ’24, ’26MPH and Caroline Aspinwall ’24 recently presented their respective research at the New England chapter of the American College of Sports Medicine (NEACSM) conference.
From the Muddy River to Community Farms: Research Possibilities for Simmons Students
We spoke to Samantha Margolin '23 about how her research projects at Simmons prepared her to expand her confidence, and her burgeoning career.
Simmons Alumna Shares the Challenges and Rewards of Mental Health Therapy
Christa Perry ’23MSW is a mental health therapist for Embark Behavioral Health, a national company that provides mental health treatment to teens and young adults. Based in Vienna, Virginia, Perry counsels individuals and families in the eight-week Partial Hospitalization Program and the 15-week Intensive Outpatient Program.
Faculty Research in the News
SLIS Deans Discusses Serendipity for NHPR
Dr. Sanda Erdelez, dean of Simmons’ School of Library and Information Science, was recently featured in New Hampshire Public Radio (NHPR) for a segment on serendipity.
SOM Faculty Member Knows Business, in Class and in Practice
School of Management lecturer Michelle Brown-Droese shares how her undergraduate-level course in “Entrepreneurship Mindset” is applicable to any program of study at Simmons.
Professor Embraces Environmental Economics and Public Policy
Professor of Economics Zinnia Mukherjee specializes in environmental and natural economics, the economics of sustainable growth and development, and public policy. To celebrate National Economic Education Month, we spoke with her about her research and the wide applicability of economics.
Hope Floats: Hurricane Katrina 20 Years Later
Simmons School of Social Work Professor and Associate Dean for Faculty Development Johnnie Hamilton-Mason shared a retrospective conversation based on her research, titled “Hope Floats: African American Women's Survival Experiences after Katrina.”
SLIS Professor Named Outstanding Information Science Teacher
School of Library and Information Science (SLIS) Professor and Library and Information Science PhD Program Director Kyong Eun Oh has been named the 2025 winner of the Association for Information Science and Technology (ASIS&T) Outstanding Information Science Teacher Award.
SLIS Faculty Member Receives Research Grant
The Association for Information Science & Technology (ASIS&T) announced that Professor Naresh Agarwal, a faculty member at Simmons’ School of Library and Information Science (SLIS) and Director of the Information Science and Technology Concentration, has received the 2025 Bob Williams...
SLIS Lecturer Researches Women Who Collected Medieval Art
In a talk she delivered at the 2024 Boston International Antiquarian Book Fair, School of Library and Information Science faculty member Dr. Lisa Fagin Davis discussed the history of women creating, reading, and owning medieval European manuscripts. To honor Women’s History Month 2025, we spoke with her about this research and its connection to her Simmons courses.
Associate Professor’s Research Links Drinking and Depression
School of Social Work Associate Professor Christina Sellers was quoted in an article, "Retirement and drinking don't mix."