The ARM Institute announced that Dr. Julie Chen, Ph.D. has joined the non-profit organization’s Board of Directors. Chen will work with other board members and ARM Institute leadership to help the organization fulfill its mission to accelerate the development and adoption of innovative robotics technologies and related workforce strategies that are the foundation of every advanced manufacturing activity today and in the future.
A mechanical engineering professor and recognized leader in research, STEM and economic development in higher education, Julie Chen is currently the Chancellor of the University of Massachusetts Lowell (UMass Lowell), a role she has held since July 2022. Previously, Chen served as vice chancellor for research and economic development, a role that included managing industry partnerships, technology transfer, startups and innovation, core research facilities, and economic development programs.
As UMass Lowell’s chief research officer, Chen facilitated numerous innovative models that brought together industry, government, and academia. For example, she facilitated the Fabric Discovery Center, the nation’s first center to integrate three Manufacturing USA Institutes, including the ARM Institute. The center integrates expertise in smart textiles, flexible electronics and robotics with the Massachusetts Medical Device Development Center as well as the university’s Innovation Hub and medical device, biotech and technology incubators.