Story and Source Ideas for Journalists

UMass Lowell Image
Robots poised to change the way people live and work will be demonstrated during the NERVE Center's Open House on Monday, Sept. 26.

09/20/2016

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 Please note that contact names below are for the media and are not for publication.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

  • The terrorist bombings in New York and New Jersey, including how a robot was used to respond to one of the incidents;
  • Kmart’s move to close dozens of stores by December and what it means for the retail sector;
  • Scientists’ efforts to alert lawmakers to the connection between climate change and the potential increase in wildfires amid drought conditions across the United States.

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

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 Cambodian’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

Event Explores Presidential Election’s Impact on the Supreme Court

When: Thursday, Sept. 22, 1 p.m.
What: The next president will likely have a profound impact on the make-up of the U.S. Supreme Court. Who could be appointed and how the court’s ideology could change will be the topic of a free event open to the public and campus community. UMass Lowell constitutional and legal experts will discuss recent U.S. Supreme Court cases on freedom of religion, gun regulation and health care that were decided by 5 to 4 votes and explore how the outcomes of similar cases could be different if new justices join the bench. The event will be held in honor of Constitution Day, a national holiday that pays tribute to the signing of the document that created the country’s guiding principles.
Where: Weed Hall, Room 318, South Campus, 3 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

Women Entrepreneurs Share Stories Behind Their Ventures

When: Thursday, Sept. 22, 6 to 8 p.m.
What: Prospective entrepreneurs and the public will learn about the challenges and successes behind three local startups from the women leading them during the program “How to Make it Happen: A Woman Entrepreneur’s Journey.” The event will include presentations by Abiche Dewilde, co-founder of the UMass Lowell spinoff company Invitrometrix, which is developing a biomedical device that aids in discovering new medications; Joanna Hall, florist and owner of The Flower Mill in Lowell; and Reem Yared, founder of the website HelpAroundTown, which matches people looking to complete yard work, household chores and other types of jobs with service providers throughout eastern Massachusetts. Representatives of the Merrimack Valley Small Business Center, Lowell Office of Economic Development and Enterprise Bank are also expected to participate in the program. The event is presented by UMass Lowell’s Office of Technology Commercialization.
Where: UMass Lowell Innovation Hub, Third Floor, 110 Canal 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 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 will include Music Department faculty members Alan Williams with his acclaimed pop-folk group Birdsong at Morning; John Shirley, who will lead a set of Chicago blues; Sovann Khon, known for his work with the Angkor Dance Troupe of Lowell, who will play traditional Cambodian folk songs; Ramon Castillo, who will perform a set of contemporary electronica selections; and John-Morgan Bush, an acclaimed horn player and director of the UMass Lowell String Project, who will perform with colleagues Rebecca Leonard, Stephanie Busby, Amy Dinsmore and Susan Jackson. 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/Chancellor/Celebration-of-Music/default.aspx. Concert tickets will also be sold at the door.
Where: 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

See the Future of Robotics at Open House

When: Monday, Sept. 26, 6 to 8 p.m.
What: Robots that are changing the way people live and work will be demonstrated for the public, students, researchers and business professionals during a free event at the New England Robotics Validation and Experimentation (NERVE) Center at UMass Lowell. One of the nation’s most advanced robotics testing facilities, NERVE evaluates robots’ performance through a variety of means, including obstacle courses. Demonstrations will include “Valkyrie,” NASA’s 300-pound, humanoid robot; a solar-powered device that removes weeds in gardens designed by Franklin Robotics, which is based at the UMass Lowell Innovation Hub; and a free-roaming teleconferencing video kiosk produced by Ava Robotics of Boston. Members of the public who have built robots they would like to showcase during the event are asked to contact Adam Norton at nerve@cs.uml.edu. Individuals who would like to attend should register at http://nerve.uml.edu.
Where: NERVE Center and UMass Lowell, 1001 Pawtucket Blvd., Lowell
Contacts for media: Nancy Cicco, 978-934-4944, Nancy_Cicco@uml.edu or Christine Gillette, 978-934-2209 or Christine_Gillette@uml.edu

Share