Story and Source Ideas for Journalists
09/17/2013
This is a notice of upcoming events, photo opportunities and story ideas at UMass Lowell, compiled by the Office of University Relations, 978-934-3224. For more stories about UMass Lowell, visit www.uml.edu and click on “Media” at the top of the page. Please note that contact names below are for the media and are not for publication.
Sources of the week are available to discuss:
- Insights into the psychological makeup of mass-shooting suspects, such as those in the Washington Navy Yard case;
- Where the country’s economic recovery stands five years after the collapse of some of Wall Street’s powerful financial institutions;
- The evolving nature of the U.S. Constitution, including same-sex marriage rulings, and significance of Constitution Week, Sept. 17 through Sept. 23.
Contact UMass Lowell media relations if you need an expert source on any subject.
- Constitutional Ramifications of Same-Sex Marriage Rulings Explored
- Career Planner Helps Students Map their Futures
- New Residence Hall Helps Fuel Campus Transformation
- Ergonomics Expert Honored as Distinguished University Professor
- Archaeologist Sheds Light on Life of Irish Immigrants in Lowell
- Center for Terrorism and Security Studies Launches
- Researchers, Investors, Educators Shape Nanotechnology’s Future
constitutional Constitutional Ramifications of Same-Sex Marriage Rulings Explored
When: Wednesday, Sept. 18, noon
What: Two UMass Lowell faculty members will discuss the U.S. Supreme Court’s rulings on same-sex marriage as they relate to the constitutional principles of equal protection, due process and federalism, alongside the public’s shifting attitudes on the topic. Free and open to the public, the presentation will mark Constitution Week, observed nationally Sept. 17 through Sept. 23 in honor of the Constitution’s signing in 1787. Leading the session will be Morgan Marietta, assistant professor of political science and author of “A Citizen’s Guide to the Constitution and the Supreme Court,” and Frank Talty, author of “Massachusetts Practice” and assistant dean of the College of Fine Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences.
Where: O’Leary Library Learning Commons, Room 222, South Campus, 61 Wilder St., Lowell
Contacts for media: Nancy Cicco, 978-934-4944, Nancy_Cicco@uml.edu or Christine Gillette, 978-934-2209 or Christine_Gillette@uml.edu
Career Career Planner Helps Students Map their Futures
When: Wednesday, Sept. 18, 7 p.m.
What: What does it take to build a successful career in today’s marketplace? What are employers looking for from skilled professionals? Master networker and motivational speaker Rod Colon will share his thoughts during “The Latin Difference: Leveraging Your Heritage for Success,” one of several campus events recognizing Hispanic Heritage Month, celebrated nationwide Sept. 15 through Oct. 15. With nearly 30 years of experience in corporate management and recruitment, Colon is an expert in job-search and networking strategies who can also be heard as a co-host of the college-radio show “Your Career is Calling.” His talk is presented by UMass Lowell’s Office of Multicultural Affairs, Latin American Student Association and Association of Latino Professionals.
Where: Alumni Hall, North Campus, 84 University Ave., Lowell
Contacts for media: Nancy Cicco, 978-934-4944, Nancy_Cicco@uml.edu or Christine Gillette, 978-934-2209 or Christine_Gillette@uml.edu
New New Residence Hall Helps Fuel Campus Transformation
When: Thursday, Sept. 19, 1 p.m.
What: UMass Lowell students, faculty and staff, along with state and local leaders will celebrate the opening of University Suites, a $54 million, 472-bed residence hall on the university’s East Campus. University Suites is the sixth building UMass Lowell has opened in the past year and the second suites-style residence hall in less than a month that together provide housing for nearly 1,000 students. University Suites includes 88 four- and six-bed suites with living rooms and kitchenettes; lounges with flat-screen TVs, couches and full kitchens; quiet study rooms and lounges; Wi-Fi and other technology throughout the building; a glass-fronted living room with a fireplace; the Hawk’s Nest Café, which is open to the public and serves grab-and-go meals during the day and Asian-fusion cuisine in the evening, along with Starbucks coffee and Red Mango frozen yogurt; an outdoor courtyard, and a multi-purpose room that can accommodate more than 125 people. Tours of University Suites will be provided after the speaking program.
Where: University Suites Courtyard, East Campus, 327 Aiken St., Lowell
Contacts for media: Nancy Cicco, 978-934-4944, Nancy_Cicco@uml.edu or Christine Gillette, 978-934-2209 or Christine_Gillette@uml.edu
Ergonomic Ergonomics Expert Honored as Distinguished University Professor
When: Thursday, Sept. 19, 4 p.m.
What: The UMass Lowell community will officially recognize Laura Punnett as the newest Distinguished University Professor. The distinction is the highest honor bestowed to faculty for exceptional teaching achievement, research and service to the university. A Medford resident, Punnett teaches ergonomics and epidemiology and is an expert in the patterns, causes and effects of work-related musculoskeletal disorders and how to heal them. She is a founder of UMass Lowell’s Department of Work Environment within the College of Health Sciences. For seven years, she led the Center for the Promotion of Health in the New England Workplace, a research center funded by the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health with more than $9 million to date. She has been a visiting scientist at research institutions around the world.
Where: Allen House, South Campus, 2 Solomont Way, Lowell
Contacts for media: Nancy Cicco, 978-934-4944, Nancy_Cicco@uml.edu or Christine Gillette, 978-934-2209 or Christine_Gillette@uml.edu
Archaeologist Archaeologist Sheds Light on Life of Irish Immigrants in Lowell
When: Thursday, Sept. 19, 7 p.m.
What: Colm Donnelly, an archaeologist from Queen’s University Belfast in Northern Ireland, will share insights into what life was like for early Irish immigrants in Lowell during “From Tyrone to Lowell: Transatlantic Archaeological Research.” The presentation will showcase the findings from excavations on the grounds of St. Patrick’s Church in Lowell, an area that was the heart of an Irish settlement in the early to mid-19th century. Since 2010, archaeologists from Queen’s University and UMass Lowell students have conducted digs in Lowell and Northern Ireland as part of the project. Free and open to the public, the event is hosted by the Northeast chapter of the Massachusetts Archaeological Society.
Where: R.S. Peabody Museum of Archaeology, Phillips Academy, 175 Main St., Andover
Contacts for media: Suanna Crowley, 627-877-6268 or Suanna@AnthroScienceAdvisors.com or Nancy Cicco, 978-934-4944, Nancy_Cicco@uml.edu
Center Center for Terrorism and Security Studies Launches
When: Tuesday, Sept. 24, 1:30 to 4 p.m.
What: Boston Police Commissioner Ed Davis will headline “New Security Challenges,” a program introducing UMass Lowell’s Center for Terrorism and Security Studies. UMass Lowell graduate Roger Cressey, former National Security Council deputy for counterterrorism, and Nicholas Rasmussen, deputy director of the National Counterterrorism Center, are also scheduled to speak, along with UMass Lowell faculty at the event, which will bring together public- and private-sector professionals to discuss how the center’s experts will help address new concerns for leaders in the field. The center, part of UMass Lowell’s School of Criminology and Justice Studies, will conduct collaborative research on terrorism, cybersecurity, transnational crime and other related topics and is led by internationally recognized experts. The event is presented by UMass Lowell’s College of Fine Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences.
Where: UMass Lowell Inn & Conference Center, 50 Warren St., Lowell
Contacts for media: Nancy Cicco, 978-934-4944, Nancy_Cicco@uml.edu or Christine Gillette, 978-934-2209 or Christine_Gillette@uml.edu
Researchers Researchers, Investors, Educators Shape Nanotechnology’s Future
When: Tuesday, Sept. 24, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Wednesday, Sept. 25, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
What: Entrepreneurs, investors, educators, researchers and policy-makers involved in expanding the fields of nanotechnology and advanced manufacturing will come together for the two-day conference, “Destination Nano 2013: Creating the Next Industrial Revolution.” Focused on exploring emerging opportunities in the medical, defense and industrial sectors, the event will feature a host of internationally renowned speakers, including UMass Lowell faculty, and showcase the plastics research and manufacturing capabilities of the Mark and Elisia Saab Emerging Technologies and Innovation Center at UMass Lowell. The conference is presented by UMass Lowell and Prince Lobel Tye LLP of Cambridge. For more information, visit www.uml.edu/Research/Centers/Nano/default.aspx.
Where: Mark and Elisia Saab Emerging Technologies and Innovation Center, North Campus, 40 University Ave., Lowell
Contacts for media: Nancy Cicco, 978-934-4944, Nancy_Cicco@uml.edu or Christine Gillette, 978-934-2209 or Christine_Gillette@uml.edu