Photo: Faith Ninivaggi
To contend with the increasing use of artificial intelligence, machine learning and data requirements of basic science research, UMass Chan Medical School has brought on William K. Barnett, PhD, as chief research computing officer. In this newly established role, Dr. Barnett will be an invaluable resource and point person for UMass Chan, ensuring that the Medical School’s computational strategies and services align with faculty needs and institutional resources and priorities.
“We are excited to welcome Bill to UMass Chan,” said Terence R. Flotte, MD, the Celia and Isaac Haidak Professor, executive deputy chancellor, provost and dean of the T.H. Chan School of Medicine. “He will provide leadership and vision in the areas of research computing and technology innovation and operations across the basic science research enterprise, including data management and computational services, as well as AI and data science. He will have a key role in advancing the basic science research mission.”
Barnett will work closely with Adrian Zai, MD, PhD, MPH, chief research informatics officer and associate professor of population & quantitative health science, as well as information technology leadership, researchers, educators, information technology professionals and administrators to establish infrastructures, services, training and a workforce for innovative computational methods and operational excellence to support the rapidly growing and changing needs of the basic science research enterprise.
“My goal is to collaborate with faculty, advocate for the researchers and plan for the future,” said Barnett. “I want to gain a deep understanding of the breadth and diversity of basic science research at the Medical School and work with investigators to solve their computational research needs. By creating the processes and principles needed to meet the research enterprises’ computational needs in a thoughtful way, we can position the Medical School to collectively identify gaps, needs and opportunities for enhancing the computational services, strategies, investments and workforces that benefit everybody. Together, we’ll help craft a strategy for realizing a vision for research computing at UMass Chan.”
Barnett, who has an MA and a PhD from Boston University, joins UMass Chan from Harvard Medical School, where he served as senior director of research computing, supporting high performance computing, research workflows and applications, and regulated data research. Prior to that, he led efforts to support scaled biomedical research at Indiana University and the Indiana University School of Medicine, including biomedical research informatics, precision medicine and organizational innovation.
“Bill has broad experience and deep understanding of the intersection of biological and biomedical research and computing technologies and will be a transformative addition to the research, academic, educational and clinical enterprises,” said Dr. Flotte.
