Western New England University (WNE) faculty and students are earning recognition across disciplines for research that advances both student success and healthcare innovation, with recent honors from leading professional organizations in online education and pharmaceutical sciences.
WNE faculty member Janet Kennedy received a Best-in-Track Award at the Online Learning Consortium Innovate 2026 Conference, held March 3–5. Her session, “Wellness by Design: Practical Exercises to Support Online Learners,” was recognized in the Student Success and Empowerment track.
The Best-in-Track designation is awarded based on attendee evaluations and peer feedback, honoring sessions that demonstrate exceptional quality, relevance, and impact. Kennedy’s work focuses on integrating wellness practices into online and distance education—an approach that supports student engagement, persistence, and overall success.
Her session stood out among a wide range of national presentations and was further selected for an encore presentation this summer for the broader Online Learning Consortium community—an honor reserved for a small number of top-rated sessions.
In a complementary example of research impact, a research team from WNE’s College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences earned Second Place in the Academic Research Awards at the 28th Annual American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists Northeast Regional Discussion Group (NERDG) meeting, held March 30 in Groton, Connecticut. The highly regarded regional conference brings together scientists, faculty, and industry professionals to showcase advances in drug delivery and pharmaceutical research.
The WNE team was recognized for its study, “Nanovesicles in Broccoli Sprouts for Targeted and Enhanced Therapy of Inflammatory Bowel Disease.” The research explores the use of plant-derived nanovesicles as a novel therapeutic platform for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), offering promising advantages such as biocompatibility, targeted delivery, and enhanced therapeutic efficacy.
The project was conducted by Mansi More, Deep Patel, Samaris Harrigan, Tianzhi Yang, RPh, PhD, and Shuhua Bai, in collaboration with researchers from the University of Maine-Orono and Binghamton University.
“This recognition reflects the strength of interdisciplinary research at WNE and the dedication of our students and collaborators,” said Bai. “It is especially rewarding to see innovative, student-driven research gain recognition at a competitive regional forum.”
The competition featured submissions from institutions across the Northeast, showcasing leading research in drug delivery, formulation science, and biomedical innovation.
The team’s work highlights the growing role of natural product–based nanotechnology in addressing complex inflammatory diseases and underscores WNE’s commitment to advancing translational, real-world healthcare solutions.
Together, these recognitions highlight the breadth of scholarship at Western New England University—from enhancing the student experience through innovative approaches to teaching and learning to advancing next-generation therapies in pharmaceutical science.
