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UMass Lowell will observe the 15th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks during a ceremony on Friday, Sept. 9 at 9:30 a.m.

09/06/2016

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 Please note that contact names below are for the media and are not for publication.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

UMass Lowell faculty experts are available to discuss:

  • How the Sept. 11, 2001 have affected the millennial generation as the 15th anniversary of the attacks approaches;
  • Apple Inc.’s new products, including the iPhone 7 and Apple Watch, which are expected to be announced on Wednesday;
  • How the remnants of Hermine will affect the region and the outlook for the rest of hurricane season.

Contact UMass Lowell media relations if you need an expert source on any subject.

Impact of Irish Rebellion Still Powerful a Century Later

When: Thursday, Sept. 8. Session on “Lowell and the Rising,” 2:15 p.m. Session exploring Irish-American history, 3:30 p.m. 
What: More than 100 historians, archaeologists, students and Irish and American leaders will participate in a conference that will explore Ireland’s quest for independence, the movement’s connection to World War I and its effect on Irish-Americans. “Remembering 1916: The Easter Rising, The Battle of the Somme and Impact on Lowell” will include programs on how Irish-Americans in the city responded to the rebellion and a look at Irish-American history. Presented by the UMass Lowell Center for Irish Partnerships and Queen’s University Belfast, sessions include: 

  • “Lowell and the Rising,” presented by UMass Lowell History Prof. Robert Forrant on Thursday, Sept. 8, 2:15 p.m. The program recounts the response of local Irish-Americans to these events.
  • “Irish-American Connections,” a roundtable discussion reflecting on the people’s history and culture over the past century on Thursday, Sept. 8, 3:30 p.m. 

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 Nancy_Cicco@uml.eduNancy_Cicco@uml.edu

Observance Marking 15th Anniversary of Sept. 11 to Honor the Fallen 

When: Friday, Sept. 9, 9:30 a.m.
What: UMass Lowell students, faculty, alumni and the public will gather to commemorate the 15th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks and pay tribute to the fallen. The observance will be held at “Unity,” UMass Lowell’s memorial to the victims, which sits on the bank of the Merrimack River and is inscribed with the names of seven individuals with ties to the university who perished in the attacks, including the pilot of American Airlines Flight 11. Dedicated in 2004, “Unity” was designed by three students in a public art course overseen by UMass Lowell Prof. James Coates, who is expected to attend the ceremony. Also expected to attend are members of the victims’ families, state Sen. Eileen Donoghue, UMass Lowell Chancellor Jacquie Moloney, Lowell National Historical Park Chief of Interpretation and Education Linda Sopheap Sou, city representatives and UMass Lowell students, faculty and staff. 
Where: The ceremony will be held outside Leitch Hall, UMass Lowell East Campus, 111 Pawtucket 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

New Exhibit Chronicles ‘Countdown to the End of the Sun’

When: Tuesday, Sept. 13 – artist’s talk at 3:30 p.m., reception to follow at 5 p.m. Exhibit runs through Saturday, Oct. 8. Gallery hours are Monday through Wednesday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Thursday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; and Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
What: Artist Alejandro Borsani’s free exhibit “Countdown to the End of the Sun” – which explores his fascination with environmental phenomena and technology – will open for the public and campus community. The central piece in the show uses a digital clock powered by sunlight to graphically detail in seconds the time remaining in the life of the sun. Another artwork uses crowdsourcing to document the wishes of people gazing at stars as they shoot across the sky. Borsani uses videos, installations, sculptures, custom software and electronics to create his art, which has been exhibited around the world. The show is curated by Pavel Romaniko, a visiting faculty member in UMass Lowell’s Department of Art and Design, which is presenting the exhibition.  
Where:    Artist’s talk – O’Leary Library Learning Commons, Room 222, South Campus, 61 Wilder St., Lowell. Artist’s reception and exhibit – University Gallery, Mahoney Hall, 870 Broadway St., Lowell
Contacts for media: Deborah Santoro, gallery coordinator, 978-934-3491, Deborah_Santoro@uml.edu or Nancy Cicco, 978-934-4944, Nancy_Cicco@uml.edu

Legacy of Trailblazing Woman Scientist Honored at Event 

When: Thursday, Sept. 15, 6 p.m.
What: Ellen Swallow Richards, the first woman to attend and teach at MIT, conducted groundbreaking experiments in water filtration at the Lawrence Experiment Station in the 1890s, which led to Lawrence becoming the first city in the U.S. to filter its entire water supply to prevent disease. Her legacy continues today through the Ellen Swallow Richards Annual Lecture, which presents the latest advances in science and engineering, including efforts to solve environmental problems. The free lecture will feature Susan Solomon, Ph.D., who holds the MIT professorship named for Richards and whose research includes the cause of the Antarctic ozone hole. The event is presented by UMass Lowell Prof. Chad Montrie and is funded by a creative economy grant from the UMass President’s Office. Members of the public who would like to attend should RSVP to chad_montrie@uml.edu.
Where: Everett Mill, Third Floor, 15 Union St., Lawrence
Contacts for media: Nancy Cicco, 978-934-4944, Nancy_Cicco@uml.edu or Christine Gillette, 978-934-2209 or Christine_Gillette@uml.edu

Poets Reflect on Cambodian-American Experience, Khmer Rouge

When: Thursday, Sept. 22, 12:30 p.m. 
What: Poets Monica Sok and Chath pierSath, whose work reflects the Cambodian-American experience, will read from their poetry and talk about their creative process during a free event for the public and campus. Both artists write about their understanding of Cambodia’s brutal Khmer Rouge political regime in the mid-1970s and how it affected children and families. Sok is the 2015 winner of the Poetry Society of America’s Chapbook Fellowship whose latest book of poetry is “Year Zero,” while pierSath earned a master’s degree in community social psychology from UMass Lowell and is also a painter and children’s author. 
Where:    O’Leary Library Learning Commons, Room 478, 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

Concert to Showcase Talent of Music Faculty, Support Scholarships 

When: Friday, Sept. 23. Reception with the performers, 6:30 p.m., concert at 8 p.m.
What: UMass Lowell’s proud history of music performance and education will come alive during “Sounding Out!,” a concert that will showcase the talent of the university’s music faculty, students, alumni and friends who are an integral part of Greater Lowell’s cultural scene. Spanning genres from jazz to classical, pop to global rhythms, the concert – along with a reception with the artists immediately before the show – will support student scholarships. Performers are expected to include Music Department faculty members Alan Williams with his acclaimed pop-folk group Birdsong at Morning and John Shirley, who will lead a set of Chicago blues. Internationally renowned horn player John-Morgan Bush, director of the UMass Lowell String Project, which provides music education and instruction in classical stringed instruments to K-12 students, will perform as part of a quartet.  Sovann Khon, known for his work with the Angkor Dance Troupe, will play traditional Cambodian folksongs. Switching musical gears and offering a set that points to the future, Ramon Castillo will perform electronic music. Tickets, which are $15 per person for the concert or $40 per person for both the reception and the concert, are available at www.uml.edu/celebratemusic. Concert tickets will also be sold at the door on the night of the event.
Where: Reception – Allen House, South Campus, 2 Solomont Way. Concert – Durgin Hall, South Campus, 35 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

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