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 Undergraduate Research and Fellowships offers a range of programs that support undergraduate 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
Centering Native Stories and Decolonizing Archives
Sage Loyema Innerarity ’25MS, Ione Band of Miwok Indians of California, reflects on her time as a Simmons graduate student — living in Boston, finding community, and taking advantage of professional development opportunities.
Cultivating Diverse Perspectives, in Boston and Abroad
Mariana Rodríguez Rivera ’25 shares her experience with the Passionate Leaders Project, her study abroad experience, and how Simmons has prepared her for a career in accounting.
Honing Hands-on Editing and Interdisciplinary Journalism
Alicia Guzman ’25 reflects on the supportive faculty members she found at Simmons, her favorite courses, the research projects she conducted, and how she became inspired to pursue a media studies degree in graduate school.
Protecting Workers and Finding Community at Simmons
Master's degree student April Beatty ’25MPP discusses her research, internship experience, finding community at Simmons, and the best thing about attending graduate school in Boston.
Sexual Health Research, Travel, and Community Involvement
Angie O'Connor ’25, a first-generation college student, reflects on her four years at Simmons — doing research, studying abroad, and being involved with several affinity organizations.
Valuing Hands-on STEM Training and the Latinx Community
First-generation college student Sophie Salas ’25 reflects on finding community at Simmons and taking advantage of opportunities to make an impact, both in her community and academic work.
PT Student Embraces Disability-Centric Approach
Bringing a distinctive methodology to her profession, Amanda Michel ’23, ’25DPT has already made headlines, gracing the cover story of American Physical Therapy Association magazine (July 2024). We spoke with her about disability-informed research, her love of dance, and the supportive atmosphere of Simmons.
Finding Support in STEM and Relishing Urban Life
Chemistry and Physics double major Annabelle Hannah ’25 discusses her laboratory research experiences and how she found community at Simmons.
Alumnae/i Research in the News
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.
Finding Community at Simmons as a Transfer Commuter Student
While at Simmons, Exercise Science major and Healthcare Management minor Kiani Jacobs ’23 received the 2023 Senior Scholar Award and interned at the Harvard Medical Ginty Lab on Neurological Research. She reflects on the value of time spent in the lab, planning events with student groups, and finding her place — as a transfer student and a commuter — at Simmons.
Breaking Ground with Qualitative Research in Hospice Care
Stephanie Wladkowski ’14PhD was a clinical social worker in hospice care when policy changes impacted her clinical practice. In a search for answers, Wladkowski began her PhD in Social Work at Simmons. Her dissertation, “Dementia Caregivers and Live Discharge from Hospice: What Happens When Hospice Leaves?,” has inspired further research in the field.
Nathan Brewer ’10MSW ’18PhD on Protecting College Students
Nathan Brewer ’10MSW ’18PhD is Director of the Sexual Assault Response & Prevention Center (SARP) at Boston University (BU). After receiving his Master’s in Social Work from Simmons, he returned to the University to pursue his PhD in Social Work alongside his clinical practice. We spoke to Brewer about his experience in the program, and his current work at Boston University.
Mbita Mbao ‘22PhD Offers Wisdom and Caring for an Aging Population
When Mbita Mbao ’22PhD was looking for a doctoral program in social work, Simmons met all of her requirements: a Boston location and the ability to take all of her in-person classes in one day per week. More important than these criteria, Simmons had professors she clicked with.
Faculty Research in the News
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."
2024 Simmons Faculty Awards Celebrates Stellar Researchers and Educators
Simmons faculty from various disciplines received awards in undergraduate and graduate teaching, research, service, and a commitment to DEI at the 2024 Faculty Awards.
For Simmons Professor, Researching Economics Lends Insight into Tackling World Poverty
Economics Professor Niloufer Sohrabji discusses what ignited her love for economics, how she shares that excitement with students, and her own research projects.
The Ongoing Battle for Transparency in Women’s Health
Professor and Director Val Leiter shares her recent research on the FDA’s role in marketing women’s health medical devices and her efforts to determine whether gender discrimination influences the oversight of medical devices for women.
Simmons School of Management Professors Co-author New Textbook on Public Relations
In their recently published book, Public Relations Planning, Professor Edward Vieira, Jr. and Associate Professor Yulong Li offer a comprehensive guide to strategic communication, replete with rich insights and academic research. We spoke with them about their approach to PR, advances in the field, and how Simmons offers students robust career training.
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National Science Foundation Grant Aims to Retain STEM Students
Sarah Rose Cavanagh, Senior Associate Director for Teaching and Learning in the Center for Faculty Excellence, was recently awarded a four-year $496K grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF). The goal of the funded project is to tackle high attrition rates in biology education at the undergraduate level by improving assessment and feedback practices.
Associate Professor Saher Selod Historicizes Islamophobia in the United States
Simmons’ Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (ODEI) hosted “Islamophobia in the United States: Understanding Past and Present Anti-Muslim Discrimination,” a virtual lecture by Associate Professor of Sociology and Director of Research for the Institute of Social Policy and Understanding Saher Selod. This talk chronicled the history of anti-Muslim racism and demonstrated how 9/11 instituted a new era of the racialization of Muslims.