SHINE PhD Info Session

About

SHINE is recruiting for our fall 2027 PhD cohort in two virtual info sessions:

Wednesday, October 28, 2026 8:00 PM to 9:00 PM

Monday, November 9, 2026 8:00 PM ET

Attendees will hear from faculty leading SHINE and current engineering and nursing PhD students. Learn how the PhD journey with our national research traineeship program works, how to apply, and ask your questions.

About SHINE

The SHINE program (Strengthening Healthcare Innovation through Nursing and Engineering) is an interdisciplinary National Science Foundation Research Traineeship (NRT) at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. This innovative initiative brings together the clinical expertise of nurses and the technical problem-solving of engineers to address some of healthcare’s most pressing challenges, from improving device usability to preventing medical errors.

SHINE is designed to train 28 PhD students (including 13 fully funded trainees) across engineering and nursing disciplines. Trainees engage in hands-on convergence research, clinical immersion, and collaborative mentorship as they develop impactful solutions for healthcare systems.

About the Elaine Marieb Center for Nursing and Engineering

Founded in January 2021, the Elaine Marieb Center for Nursing and Engineering Innovation was formed using seed funding provided by Michael and Theresa Hluchyj and soon expanded thanks to a second major donation from the Elaine Nicpon Marieb Charitable Foundation. The Center provides an incredible opportunity for students, staff, faculty, and corporate partners. The Product Prototyping Laboratory enables students to design and prototype new products allows for product and service testing by frontline clinical end-users.