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A new year brings both hopes and anxieties. We want things to be better for ourselves and the people we love, but worry that they won’t be, and imagine some of the things that might stand in the way. More broadly, we might worry about who’s going to win the election, or even if our world will survive.

As it turns out, humans are wired to worry. Our brains are continually imagining futures that will meet our needs and things that could stand in the way of them. And sometimes any of those needs may be in conflict with each other.

The American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology has selected Sheldon Benjamin, MD, as one of its eight psychiatry directors. Dr. Benjamin, interim chair of psychiatry and professor of psychiatry and neurology, began his four-year, renewable term on Jan. 1.

“I consider this one of the most important roles that I’ll have in organized medicine because the deliberations of the board get at the core of what is expected of people in our specialty,” said Benjamin. “Its deliberations are quite important and I’m very excited to be at the table for these discussions.”

The Ferreira-Mendes Portuguese-American Archives will host the launch of the book, The Final Report: a History of the Portuguese American Citizenship Project from 6–7:30 p.m. on 23 January 2020 at the Ferreira-Mendes Portuguese-American Archives at UMass Dartmouth. Project Coordinator James McGlinchey will offer a brief talk on the report and the development of the book at the launch event. Guests should use Parking Lot 13. Copies of the book will be available for purchase.

Seven Boston-area liberal arts and specialty colleges and universities will begin offering a pathway to affordable, accelerated master’s degrees in the region’s only public research university, UMass Boston, in the spring of 2020. The newly formed Boston Advanced Academic Consortium (BAAC) will enable undergraduate students from partner colleges to enroll in graduate courses during their senior year and then complete their master’s degree on a rapid timeline. UMass Boston students will also have the opportunity to enroll in specialized MA programs across the partnership. 

AMHERST, Mass. – Mari Castañeda, professor of communication and associate dean for equity and inclusion in the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences, has been named the new dean of the  at the ����ӰԺ Amherst. She will start Sept. 1.

The appointment was made by John J. McCarthy, provost and senior vice chancellor for academic affairs. Castañeda succeeds Dean Gretchen Gerzina, who is returning to the faculty after five years of distinguished service.

#UMassImpact2019 is a look back at the news and events that made a positive impact at UMass Amherst last year.

 some of the campus's highlights from 2019. 

UMass Law was recognized by the Equal Justice Coalition for their outstanding participation in the 2019 Walk to the Hill for Civil Legal Aid. Four law firms were also recognized: Morgan Lewis; Ropes & Gray; Meehan, Boyle, Black & Bogdanow; and WilmerHale. Eighty students at the Dartmouth-based school traveled to Boston for the 2019 Walk to the Hill.

UMass Medical School Director of Public Safety and Chief of Police Jack Luippold is retiring from his post this week, while his successor, Deputy Chief Clanford “Leon” Pierce prepares to take the reins.

“Chief Luippold retires this week after more than 13 years at UMMS and 34 years at the university,” said John C. Lindstedt, executive vice chancellor for administration and finance. “His service to our campus has been immeasurable and we are all grateful for his leadership.”

Hack.Diversity, the New England Venture Capital Association’s initiative to help diversify the ranks of Boston’s fastest growing tech companies, has selected 17 fellows from UMass Boston this year.

Fellows participate in an eight-month career development program with mentorship, connections, and internships at venture-capital-backed tech companies.

Overall, 75 information technology, computer science, and data science fellows from 27 colleges were selected, a 50 percent increase from the previous year.

Nianqiang Wu has been appointed to the Armstrong/Siadat Endowed Professorship in Materials Science in the department of chemical engineering. Wu’s work at UMass Amherst begins in January 2020, after spending five years as a professor in the department of mechanical and aerospace engineering at West Virginia University.