Connecting the Community of Tufts Scholars (CCTS)

Connecting the Community of Tufts Scholars (CCTS) is a multi-year cluster hiring program designed to foreground several of Tufts research strengths by hiring faculty into a university-wide scholarly community that they will join upon their arrival on campus.  CCTS enhances the faculty experience through coordinated interdisciplinary research programming and faculty development synchronized to maximize institutional impact and retention.

Program Goals

• Increase the number and amplify the impact of faculty whose work advances research, scholarship and education in the identified research priority areas.
• Foster supportive environments enabling faculty to address contemporary challenges.
• Cultivate interdisciplinary collaboration among Tufts’ faculty, students, and staff to enhance research, innovation, and shared learning.
• Target external funding strategies and pathways for scholarly recognition.
• Expand Tufts’ impact through meaningful local and global partnerships

• Colleen Ryan, Vice Provost for Faculty
• Augusta Rohrbach, Associate Provost for Faculty Initiatives
• Gabriela E. Vargas, Assistant Provost for Faculty Development

The Infection and Immunity cluster addresses global health challenges related to infectious diseases and immune system disorders through collaborative research and education using a One Health focus. These include: antimicrobial resistance, pandemic preparedness, zoonotic diseases, and translational strategies using a One Health framework.

Meet the Cohort Members:

• Smita Gopinath, School of Arts and Sciences—Host/pathogen interactions
• Samantha Wellington Miranda, School of Medicine—molecular networks that govern bacterial community behaviors
• Constantin “Nick” Takas, School of Dental Medicine—Lyme disease and oral health

The Health Equity cluster fosters collaborative, interdisciplinary research, teaching, and community engagement focused on improving health outcomes for populations locally and globally. This initiative supports faculty who pursue innovative approaches to addressing health disparities by examining structural factors—such as economic, environmental, and social conditions—that shape health and well-being. Faculty are encouraged to apply frameworks grounded in fairness, opportunity, and community strengths to advance inclusive and impactful solutions.

Meet the Cohort Members:

• LaPorchia Collins, Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy—Nutrition equity
• Demond Hill, School of Arts and Sciences—Mental health equity
• Yi-Pin Lin, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine—Vector-borne diseases
• Melissa Newman, School of Dental Medicine—Comprehensive care
• Patricia Synnott, School of Medicine—Translational health equity in biomedical innovation
• Anna Zink, School of Arts and Sciences—AI in healthcare

The Climate cluster fosters collaborative, interdisciplinary research, teaching, and community engagement focused on advancing innovative solutions to environmental challenges and exploring the role of energy systems in shaping a more equitable and sustainable future. Tufts brings together its distinctive strengths in engineering, humanities, nutrition, and policy to advance equity and promote environmental sustainability through innovative approaches to energy and the environment.

Meet the Cohort Members:

• Jonah Bloch-Johnson, School of Arts and Sciences—Earth and climate sciences
• Brandon McDonald, School of Arts and Sciences—Climate change in classical antiquity
• Easwaran Narassimhan, Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy—Climate and energy policy
• Khristopher Nicholas, Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy—Agriculture and Climate
• Lauryn Spearing, School of Engineering—Environmental impact analysis
• Emily Strasser, School of Arts and Sciences—Creative non-fiction and journalism