College of Social & Behavioral Sciences UMass Amherst

09/15/2026

We're celebrating the announcement of the new Future of Food Initiative, a transformational effort to address the challenges facing our food systems. “Meeting the challenges facing our global food system requires scientific and technological breakthroughs, but it also requires understanding the economic and human decisions that determine whether those innovations succeed. UMass Amherst’s strength in economics, particularly resource economics, brings critical expertise in food markets, consumer behavior, environmental and natural resource economics, and public policy,” said R. Karl Rethemeyer, Dean of the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences. “By bringing these perspectives together with expertise from across the University, the Future of Food Initiative can help turn innovation into solutions that are sustainable, economically viable, and capable of improving people’s lives.”

09/14/2026

08/31/2026

08/27/2026

Anthropology doctoral student Laura Haynes has earned a 2026-27 Fulbright-National Geographic Award! The award designates Haynes as a National Geographic Explorer, a recognition that honors exceptional changemakers and innovators. Explorers receive funding and support from the National Geographic Society, and Haynes will further her dissertation research on primate microbiomes in Uganda.

Congratulations, Laura! 🙌

The award provides Haynes with the opportunity to conduct dissertation research on primate microbiomes in Uganda.

08/27/2026

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08/26/2026

POV: our famous UMass Amherst campus wind tunnel 🌬️🍃📚

08/26/2026

Congratulations to Michael Borowski, Public Policy '28, on his election to the role of Segmental Advisor to the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education! In the role, he will advocate on behalf of students across the entire UMass system.

When asked what he hoped to accomplish during his time serving, Borowski said that, "I would like to expand student protections like the Wellman Document, which enshrine students’ right to self-governance and collaborative campus policy at other public institutions in Massachusetts, as well as advocate for student-first issues like the cost, accessibility, and importance of higher education."

Congrats, Michael!

08/24/2026

08/12/2026

Throwback to the total solar eclipse of April 8, 2024! Were you among the thousands who viewed it on campus?

Today (August 12, 2026) brings a partial solar eclipse, but nothing compares to the vibe on campus a couple of years ago when we all paused to witness the cosmic event 🌘🌞

08/11/2026

Excited to share news of the most recent book by Prof. Rodrigo Zamith (UMass Journalism): Journalism in the Age of AI (Polity Press, 2026)! Co-authored with Seth C. Lewis (University of Virginia) and Tomás Dodds (University of Wisconsin-Madison), the book offers a critical look at what AI means for journalism by drawing on questions of creativity, democratic accountability, platform power, and human agency.

The printed edition is now available for pre-order, but you can download a complete, open-access (free!) copy of the book in PDF form or get the Kindle version at journalismandai.com (also linked in our bio) ✨📖