June 4, 2026 — A UMass Dartmouth team spanning the School for Marine Science and Technology, the College of Engineering, and the Charlton College of Business recently received a $1.4M grant from the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative to create a “digital twin” for the MA shellfish aquaculture industry.
A digital twin is a virtual replica of a physical system. Using state-of-the-art tools like smart sensors, autonomous vehicles, and predictive artificial intelligence, the digital twin will provide real-time data insights for oyster growers about their operations, allowing them to make proactive management decisions. Beyond increasing shellfish aquaculture productivity, safety, and sustainability, the digital twin system also aims to turn data into a consumer-facing narrative that will position Massachusetts oysters as a premium sustainable seafood product.
“This academic/industry partnership is a key part of our mission at UMass Dartmouth as a public university,” said Professor of Estuarine & Ocean Sciences Miles Sundermeyer. “It is especially important as many of these growers are small businesses who may not otherwise have the resources to invest in this level of data collection and analysis.”
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