UMass Lowell Experts Assist Print, Radio and TV Journalists
This month, experts are available to discuss topics including NASA's Juno probe, security threats and the 200th anniversary of "Frankenstein."
07/05/2016
Print, radio and TV journalists in need of experts will find engaging and authoritative sources among UMass Lowell’s world-class faculty, researchers and scholars. Experts are available in person, by phone or e-mail to discuss topics in the news in a range of fields, from science and engineering, business and education to the social sciences and humanities. TV options include live interviews in person or via satellite.
This month’s hot topics and featured sources are:
Juno probe and new astronomical discoveries – Silas Laycock, astronomer. Laycock, an expert in celestial phenomena including black holes, neutron stars and white dwarfs, can discuss NASA’s Juno probe, which arrived in Jupiter’s orbit today, along with the recent discovery of a dark vortex in Neptune’s atmosphere. He can also talk about what professional and amateur stargazers will be able to see this summer in the nighttime sky. Laycock conducts research and teaches astronomy and astrophysics in UMass Lowell’s Kennedy College of Sciences.
National security threats – UMass Lowell counter-terrorism experts. From the recent terrorist attack at a Turkish airport that killed more than 40 people and injured hundreds of others to the FBI investigation into the mass shooting at Orlando’s Pulse nightclub, faculty and researchers in UMass Lowell’s Center for Terrorism and Security Studies can offer insight and discuss international and domestic terrorism and homeland security issues, ISIS and its alliances, and transnational criminal networks. The center is part of the university’s School of Criminology and Justice Studies.
The 200th anniversary of “Frankenstein” – Bridget Marshall, Gothic fiction expert. Two hundred years ago this summer, 18-year-old British writer Mary Shelley sat down to write “Frankenstein,” the story of a scientist who created a monster and the consequences of his endeavor. Marshall can talk about how Shelley’s masterpiece remains relevant today and why it is a worthy inclusion on summer reading lists. She can also suggest new fiction and non-fiction titles, graphic novels and comic books as good beach reads. Marshall teaches English and American Studies in UMass Lowell’s College of Fine Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences.
For a complete list of UMass Lowell experts, see www.uml.edu/experts. The university’s media relations team is ready to help connect you. Contact Nancy Cicco, 978-934-4944, Nancy_Cicco@uml.edu or Christine Gillette, 978-934-2209, Christine_Gillette@uml.edu.