Story and Source Ideas for Journalists

01/14/2013

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 “News” on the lower right corner of the page. Please note that contact names below are for the media and are not for publication.

In case of inclement weather, please call 978-934-2121; if the university is closed, all events are canceled.

Sources of the week: UMass Lowell political science experts can offer insight into the issues that will likely dominate President Obama’s second term. Housing stock experts can share an outlook for the regional market for 2013 and provide a look back at 2012.

Open House Showcases Graduate, Part-Time Programs

When: Wednesday, Jan. 16, 3 to 7 p.m.

What: Those interested in learning about UMass Lowell’s graduate, continuing-education and online offerings will attend an open house that will introduce them to the university’s 20 doctoral, 35 master’s degree and more than 70 graduate certificate programs. New programs include a doctoral program in criminal justice and master’s degree programs in autism studies and peace and conflict studies. There are more than 15 new course offerings this semester, including online courses such as an introduction to alternative energy and advanced cloud computing. Faculty advisers will share information about the university’s graduate, part-time degree and certificate programs, online courses and project management seminars. UMass Lowell programs are nationally accredited. Many graduate certificates and degree programs are available on campus, online or in a blended format. An expanded pool of scholarships is available.

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

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Community Groups Speak at Social Innovation Event

When: Wednesday, Jan. 16, 5:30 p.m.

What: A Social Innovator Mixer networking night hosted by the Merrimack Valley Sandbox Initiative, which works to develop entrepreneurs and startup ventures. The night’s theme will be “Health of Our Cities: Immigration and Health Disparities.” Featured speakers will include Sonith Peou, Metta Health Center; Sarah Peterah, South Lawrence Fifth Grade Academy; and Bophamony Vong and Emily Vidrine, Lowell Healthy Homes Program. The Sandbox – one of four such initiatives in the world – was established by the Deshpande Foundation through the Merrimack Valley Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at UMass Lowell. A collaborative effort between UMass Lowell, Merrimack College and Middlesex and Northern Essex community colleges, the Sandbox works to strengthen economic and social development throughout the region.

Where: Union Street Grill, 15 Union St., Lawrence

Contacts for media: Emil Kuruvilla, 978-934-6619, emil@mvsandbox.org or Nancy Cicco, 978-934-4944, Nancy_Cicco@uml.edu

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Fans to Pack the House for River Hawk Hockey

When: Thursday, Jan. 17, 7 p.m.

What: Fans will pack the house to cheer on the red-hot UMass Lowell River Hawks as they ride a seven-game winning streak – their longest since the 2001-2002 season – into their game against the Providence College Friars. The River Hawks are 11-7-1 overall and are ranked at No. 18 by USCHO.com. Thursday’s game will feature a free-ticket promotion, concession discounts for season-ticket holders and Code Blue T-shirts for the first 1,500 fans through the gates. Viewers across the country will catch the excitement as the NBC Sports Network will broadcast the game live at the Tsongas Center. At the request of River Hawks Coach Norm Bazin, fans in attendance will wear blue in a show of team pride before the national TV cameras.

Where: Tsongas Center at UMass Lowell, 300 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Lowell

Contacts for media: Christopher O’Donnell, 978-934-2306, Christopher_ODonnell@uml.edu or Nancy Cicco, 978-934-4944, Nancy_Cicco@uml.edu

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Celebration Rings in Vietnamese New Year

When: Saturday, Jan. 26, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

What: Hundreds are expected to celebrate the Vietnamese New Year program presented by the Vietnamese Student Association and several local community groups. The day will feature food, music, artwork and performances by members of the UMass Lowell community and other special guests. Admission is $5 per person, $3 for UMass Lowell students with a valid ID, and free for children. For information about the event, contact Constanza Cabello at 978-934-4336 or Constanza_Cabello@uml.edu.

Where: Cumnock Hall, North Campus, 31 University Ave., Lowell

Contacts for media: Nancy Cicco, 978-934-4944, Nancy_Cicco@uml.edu or Christine Gillette at 978-934-2209 or Christine_Gillette@uml.edu.

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MLK Events Advance Work of Civil Rights Leader

When: Sunday, Jan. 27 through Thursday, Jan. 31

What: The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s vision and quest for social equality will be honored and advanced during a week of events that will unite the UMass Lowell community and the public. Events will focus on the topic “His Dream, Our Awakening.” Sponsored by the university’s Office of Multicultural Affairs, the event series will kick off Black History Month. It will include a student Day of Service on Sunday Jan. 27 from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. starting at the Campus Recreation Center, East Campus, 100 Pawtucket St., Lowell. Other events include:

  • Solidarity March – Monday, Jan. 28, 5 p.m. Members of the UMass Lowell community and the public will walk for peace. The event is co-sponsored by student groups the Association of Students of African Origin (ASAO); Males Achieving Leadership, Excellence and Success (MALES); Sisters of Integrity Striving Towards Empowerment, Respect and Success (SISTERS); the Latin American Student Association; and the National Society of Black Engineers. The walk will start on South Campus and end on East Campus.
  • Student Oratorical Contest – Tuesday, Jan. 29, 7 p.m. Students will speak on the topic “My Dream, My Awakening,” competing for prizes in this annual contest. Alumni Hall, North Campus, 34 University Ave., Lowell.
  • MLK Celebration Dinner – Wednesday, Jan. 30, 6 p.m. The Office of Multicultural Affairs will bestow its annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Distinguished Service Award to a student, faculty, staff and community member whose service exemplifies King’s work. The centerpiece of the week of events, the program will feature Avis Jones-DeWeever, executive director of the National Council of Negro Women and include award presentations to Lowell schoolchildren for their artwork and essays. The dinner is free and open to the public; please make reservations by Jan. 18 by contacting multicultural_affairs@uml.edu.

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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Award-Winning Artist, Students, Exhibit Work

When: Exhibit runs from Monday, Jan. 28 through Friday, Feb. 15. Artists’ reception, Thursday, Feb. 7, noon. Gallery hours are Mondays through Thursdays, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Fridays and evenings by appointment.

What: Award-winning Egyptian photographer Wael Kamal, a visiting professor and UMass Lowell’s interim director of journalism and media studies, teams up with art students Duy Hoang and Lars-Erik Miller to present “Sound of Light: Photography and Sculpture from the Middle East and Massachusetts.” The show is presented by the university’s Art Department and Middle East Center for Peace, Development and Culture.

Where: Dugan Gallery, Dugan Hall, South Campus, 883 Broadway St., Lowell

Contacts for media: Nancy Cicco, 978-934-4944, Nancy_Cicco@uml.edu or Michele Gagnon, 978-934-3491 or Michele_Gagnon@uml.edu

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Students, Alumni Vie for $25K for Best Ideas to Solve Problems

When: Kickoff events are Monday, Jan. 28 and Tuesday, Jan. 29, 5 to 6:30 p.m.

What: The DifferenceMaker $25,000 Idea Challenge invites UMass Lowell students and alumni who have graduated within the past year to develop and unveil a plan for a business, service or product that helps solve a real-world problem affecting our region and our future. Teams of students and young alumni interested in different fields but a common goal will be mentored by UMass Lowell faculty members as they work on their projects. The challenge begins January 28 and 29. The project application deadline is Friday, Feb. 15. Applicant finalists will be invited to submit their plan by Friday, April 12 and pitch their plans before a panel of judges on Wednesday, April 17 at the UMass Lowell Inn & Conference Center. Awarded prize money will help fund teams’ work on the winning projects through the coming year. The challenge is presented by DifferenceMakers, a new UMass Lowell program designed to engage students as they develop solutions to real-world issues through innovative and entrepreneurial leadership.

Where: Kickoff events Monday, Jan. 28, Alumni Hall, North Campus, 84 University Ave., Lowell; Tuesday, Jan. 29, 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

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UMass Lowell Hosts Jack Kerouac Book Series

When: Tuesdays, Jan. 29, Feb. 19, March 19, April 9, April 30, 7 to 9 p.m.

What: The UMass Lowell Libraries will host a free, five-part reading and discussion series on three of Jack Kerouac’s Lowell-centric novels: “The Town and the City,” “Visions of Gerard” and “Maggie Cassidy.” The series will feature Prof. Todd Tietchen, a member of UMass Lowell’s English faculty, who will lead discussions about each novel. A Beat Generation scholar, Tietchen is an internationally known Kerouac expert. The sessions will cover the books noted on the following dates: Tuesday, Jan. 29, “The Town and the City,” parts 1 and 2; Tuesday, Feb. 19, “The Town and the City,” parts 3 through 5; Tuesday, March 19, “Visions of Gerard” with the community group Lowell Celebrates Kerouac!; Tuesday, April 9, “Visions of Gerard;” and Tuesday, April 30, “Maggie Cassidy.” Participants who register in advance will receive a copy of “The Town and the City” by mail. Free copies of the other titles will be distributed at the program. To register, go to http://libguides.uml.edu/kerouac or contact Sara Marks at Sara_Marks@uml.edu. Support for the series is provided by the UMass Lowell English Department and Office of Community and Cultural Affairs.

Where: All programs will be held at O’Leary Library Learning Commons, South Campus, 61 Wilder St., Lowell except for Tuesday, March 19, which will be held at Pollard Memorial Library, 401 Merrimack 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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Medical-Device Contest Seeks New Ventures, Entrepreneurs

When: Entry deadline is Friday, Feb. 1; finalists’ presentations to be held Wednesday, March 27; winner’s ceremony to be held in April.

What: Massachusetts Medical Device Development Center, a joint UMass Lowell and UMass Medical School initiative, is sponsoring a medical-device venture competition that aims to find the best new medical device startups – and award them $20,000 in product development services. Now in its second year, the M2D2 competition, which promotes entrepreneurship, is sponsored by Nutter, McClennen & Fish and will culminate in an award ceremony in April. All new medical device ventures and entrepreneurs are encouraged to apply. The application fee is $25 and the entry deadline is 5 p.m. Friday, Feb. 1. A panel of expert judges will hear from finalists at 6 p.m. Wednesday, March 27; a winner’s ceremony will be held in April. For more, visit www.uml.edu/m2d2 and click on “events.”

Where: Finalists’ presentations – Massachusetts Medical Device Development Center, Wannalancit Mills, East Campus, 600 Suffolk St., Lowell; winner’s ceremony – Nutter, McClennen & Fish, 155 Seaport Boulevard, Boston.

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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