40 Under Forty 2025: Michelle Doherty
Photo | Erika Sidor
Michelle Doherty
Photo | Matt Wright
WBJ 40 Under Forty winners (from left) John Thomasian, Erin Thomason, Thomas White, and Michelle Doherty at Tree House Brewing, in Charlton (Special thanks to Leeanne Lawrence)
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Michelle Doherty has been instrumental in Worcester Polytechnic Institute becoming a national research powerhouse.
In her eight years at WPI, she has advanced from entry-level proposal coordinator to associate director, leading the pre-award team that helped faculty secure nearly $60 million in research funding for fiscal 2024, representing a 159% increase from the $23.16 million secured in 2016. This achievement contributed to WPI earning R1 Research Status, a rank held by only 187 colleges nationwide. Doherty manages three full-time staff members while overseeing hundreds of faculty grant applications annually, developing policies and procedures, and conducting faculty training.
During the COVID pandemic, she led the transition to a fully electronic workflow process, improving data integrity and eliminating redundancy. Her work directly supports research funded by the National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, NASA, and the U.S. Department of Defense. As past chair of the United Way of Central Massachusetts Women's Initiative Community Impact Committee, she develops funding programs with the goal of reducing incidences of violence affecting girls ages 10-14. She serves as the chair of the Women of WPI Alumni Association and volunteers with Sterling Senior Center's Meals on Wheels program and the Friends of the Conant Public Library.
Would you choose to be the oldest sibling, middle sibling, youngest sibling, or an only child? Next time around, I'd like a shot at being the younger sibling!
Best restaurant in Central Mass.? The Barn Princeton
Best vacation you ever took? Aruba. Give me a pina colada and my Kindle under a cabana, and I'm a happy girl!
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