Research

Research at Emmanuel means taking "challenging" and "inspiring" to a whole new level.

Our faculty explore diverse fields of interest—from the induction of T-cell tolerance in bone marrow transplants to the study of Hindu culture on the island of Trinidad—throughout Boston, across the country and around the globe.

At Emmanuel, groundbreaking laboratory research is conducted right on our campus. The Maureen Murphy Wilkens Science Center features state-of-the-art research labs on par with the neighboring world-class research facilities in the Longwood Medical and Academic Area. Our faculty utilize connections in the area to help bring Emmanuel to the forefront of today’s research world.

Faculty-Student Research

Emmanuel is an environment where countless collaborations between faculty and students are happening every day. It is a place filled with the type of personal interactions, opportunities and outcomes that are simply not available everywhere.

Our students dive into advanced research to explore the depths of their disciplines, working side-by-side with faculty members as early as their freshman year. During the summer, many of these students receive grants and remain on campus to conduct ongoing research full time with their faculty counterparts. Such hands-on experiences offer powerful advantages; they build upon knowledge attained in the classroom, shape students’ intellectual potential and better prepare them for professional opportunities and graduate-level studies.

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"The Emmanuel faculty engages students in the very highest levels of scientific research. The skills and experience they gain in our labs set them apart in whatever field or career they choose.”

Christine Sample, Ph.D.

Faculty Research

Our faculty members are scholars with reputations and connections all over the world. They publish their work in prominent academic publications, present their findings at national and international conferences and are awarded prestigious grants to continue their groundbreaking research. Recently, Emmanuel professors were awarded grants from the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Yes — students work alongside faculty as early as freshman year, and nearly 1 in 4 Class of 2026 graduates participated in faculty-mentored research beyond the classroom.

Often, yes — many summer researchers receive grants and remain on campus to conduct research full time.

No — on-campus research is not limited to certain majors. Students regularly do faculty-mentored research in Biology, Chemistry, Psychology, Neuroscience, Math, Political Science and International Studies, Computer Science, Education, Communication & Media Studies, Sociology/Criminology, and History, among others. Previous research experience often isn't required — so the best initial step is simply asking a professor whose work interests you.

Research is faculty-directed inquiry toward a scholarly question, while a traditional internship is workplace-based and skills-focused — but at Emmanuel, research and internship aren't always separate tracks: research can often count toward the internship graduation requirement, depending on the major and department approval. Check with your department chair or academic advisor on whether your specific research fits.

98% of Class of 2026 graduates who did research said it helped them grow personally and professionally.

Emmanuel faculty are active researchers and subject-matter experts, deeply engaged in their own fields: they publish in prominent academic journals, present at national and international conferences, are sought out by national publications for their expertise, and earn competitive grants — recently including awards from the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health.