Susan Roberts

Susan Roberts serves as Dean of the Francis College of Engineering at the University of Massachusetts Lowell, having previously held professorial and leadership roles at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) and the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

She earned her Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute in 1992 and her Doctor of Philosophy in Chemical Engineering from Cornell University in 1998.

Her research centers on Plant Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing, focusing on engineered plant cell culture systems to synthesize natural products for clinical and industrial applications. She investigates specialized plant metabolism to develop renewable production methods for human health agents, flavors, colorings, and bioenergy feedstocks, driven by plants' adaptive capabilities under stress conditions.

Dr. Roberts' notable recognitions include:

• National Science Foundation (NSF) ADVANCE Program
• NSF CAREER Award
• NSF IGERT Award
• Massachusetts Life Sciences Center Bits-to-Bytes Program
• NIIMBL Workforce Development Award
• UMass President’s Science and Technology Fund Award
• UMass Amherst College of Engineering Teaching and Advising Award

She emphasizes transformative student mentorship, stating: "To me there is nothing more exciting than watching a student learn and develop... My favorite part of my job is being able to mentor and teach students in a research context," highlighting her commitment to cultivating student confidence through hands-on research experiences. Her work receives support from major federal and state initiatives including NSF, MLSC, and NIIMBL.