Michele Masucci, Ph.D.

Dr. Masucci has been a director of the Science Center since 2017. In her role as Vice President for Research Administration, she oversees the research enterprise for Temple, including strategic research initiatives, technology transfer, research integrity and compliance, and grant administration.

Dr. Masucci is Temple's representative to the Federal Demonstration Partnership, where she leads the Pipelines Initiative, aimed at expanding access to STEM careers for women and underrepresented minorities. She is also Temple's representative to the Government University Industry Research Round Table (GUIRR) of the National Academies. Previously, she served as Vice Provost for Research, Senior Associate Vice Provost for Research, Director of Research Development, Director of the Information Technology and Society Research Group, and Chair of the Department of Geography and Urban Studies.

Dr. Masucci’s research examines how barriers to accessing information resources using geographic information technologies are interrelated with community development and environmental quality problems, including accessing health, education, and social services. She has worked to develop university-community partnerships with organizations that address human rights issues, community and environmental planning organizations in the Southeastern U.S. and in Brazil involved in water quality monitoring and assessment, and with informal educational settings on integrating information technology curricula through educational programs aimed at advancing knowledge of to develop information resources. Dr. Masucci is the Principal Investigator of BITS (Building Information Technology Skills), an ongoing research program that was initiated with funding by the National Science Foundation in 2004 and has had continued funding from other sponsors. She also co-directs the Urban Apps and Maps Studios, supported by the US Economic Development Administration, the Knight Foundation, the Philadelphia Youth Network, the Doris Duke Foundation and other sponsors.

Dr. Masucci received her M.A. and Ph.D. in geography from Clark University, and her B.S. in geography and regional planning from Salisbury University.