UMass Boston

Ricardo Castaño-Bernard, PhD Associate Dean

Ricardo Castaño-Bernard earned his PhD and MSc in mathematics from the University of Warwick, United Kingdom, and a BSc in mathematics from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). He joined UMass Boston in 2015 and served as a Graduate Program Director from 2016 to 2021. He was appointed Associate Dean for the Faculty Personnel, Research and Graduate Studies of the College of Science and Mathematics in 2021. Prior to joining UMass Boston, he was a Program Director in the Division of Mathematical Sciences at the National Science Foundation.

Karen Ricciardi, PhD Associate Dean 

Karen L. Ricciardi is the Associate Dean of Undergraduate Programs in the College of Science and Mathematics at the University of Massachusetts Boston, where she plays a pivotal role in instructional planning, budget management, and program coordination that promotes undergraduate education. With a Ph.D. in Mathematics and an M.S. in Environmental Engineering from the University of Vermont, along with an M.A. in Geology and Geophysics from Columbia University, her academic expertise spans mathematics, environmental science, and hydrology. She has held multiple leadership positions at the institution, where she has contributed to curriculum development, student success initiatives, and university assessment efforts. Dr. Ricciardi's research has focused on groundwater remediation, hydrology, and mathematical modeling in environmental systems. She has been integral in programs funded by organizations such as Oracle and the Davis Educational Foundation and remains a strong advocate for interdisciplinary collaboration and STEM education.

Laura Lopes, MBA
Assistant Dean, Personnel and Operations

Laura M. Lopes serves as the Assistant Dean of Personnel and Operations for the college. In this role, she leads the college’s personnel strategy and operational infrastructure, ensuring that faculty, staff, and research personnel processes align with university policy and support the college’s academic and research mission.

Laura oversees the full employee lifecycle for CSM—including recruitment, hiring, onboarding, performance management, and organizational planning—while advising leadership on personnel strategy, policy compliance, and workforce planning. She also leads key operational initiatives across the college, including process improvement, administrative coordination, and the development of working procedures that strengthen efficiency and accountability.

In partnership with the Dean’s Office team, Laura helps coordinate space planning, technology and equipment oversight, and administrative systems that support faculty, staff, and students. She also provides oversight for the college’s web communications, ensuring that content remains accurate, accessible, and aligned with university standards, while day-to-day website maintenance is managed by the Dean’s Office team.

Laura holds an MBA from the University of Massachusetts Boston, a Master of Management from Cambridge College, and a Bachelor of Arts in Communication from Stonehill College.

Karen Doherty
Assistant Dean, Finance and Administration

Teresa Goyette 
Director, Student Success Center

Teresa has worked for the University for over 34 years, mainly in the University Advising Center, and now most recently in the CSM Student Success Center. Teresa is passionate about incorporating a strengths-based advising approach to aid students in discovering academic programs and careers that align with their talents, interests, and values. Teresa is an advocate of the appreciative advising model, and she is a certified Strengths Coach through the Gallup Organization.

Ethan Labowitz 
Manager, Scientific Instrumentation and Prototyping (SIP) Lab