Story and Source Ideas for Journalists
04/29/2013
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 Please note that contact names below are for the media and are not for publication.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: UMass Lowell political experts can discuss the issues in the Massachusetts U.S. Senate race, including voter turnout for Tuesday’s primary. A UMass Lowell faculty researcher can discuss his work devising new breast-cancer treatments and how the field of theranostics could transform medicine. In the wake of the Boston Marathon bombings, a UMass Lowell anti-terrorism expert can discuss the latest in the case.
- Former Microsoft Startup Guru Shares Wisdom, Debunks Myths
- Cancer Researcher to Discuss Cutting-Edge Treatment Therapies
- New Portuguese Center Presents Perspective on Lisbon’s Influence
- Book Series Explores Jack Kerouac’s Lowell-Centric Works
- UMass Lowell Senior, Hockey Team Among State’s ‘29 Who Shine’
- City’s Young Musicians to Perform in Public Concert
- Commencement Eve Gala Celebrates Graduates, Honorary Degree Recipients
- Boston Police Commissioner Ed Davis to Deliver Commencement Address
ACMFormer Microsoft Startup Guru Shares Wisdom, Debunks Myths
When: Monday, April 29, 5 p.m.
What: Want to know what it takes to launch a startup? Abby Fichtner, a New Venture fellow at UMass Lowell, will talk about what goes in to making winning entrepreneurial ventures and what should stay out. She’ll discuss studies of successful startups and bust some myths about others. Previously, Fichtner served as Microsoft’s Evangelist for Startups, where she got to help hundreds of early-stage companies. Called an “innovation amplifier” by the Boston Globe, she is the inaugural director of a new “hackerspace” in Cambridge called hack/reduce, which provides meeting and office space to fledgling entrepreneurs. Her talk is presented by UMass Lowell’s ACM student group, which is affiliated with the Association of Computing Machinery.
Where: Olsen Hall, Room 311, North Campus, 198 Riverside St., Lowell
Contacts for media: Nancy Cicco, 978-934-4944, Nancy_Cicco@uml.edu or Christine Gillette, 978-934-2209, Christine_Gillette@uml.edu
CancerResearcherCancer Researcher to Discuss Cutting-Edge Treatment Therapies
When: Tuesday, April 30, 1:30 p.m.
What: Prakash Rai, a UMass Lowell chemical engineering professor, will discuss his work in theranostics, an emerging field in medicine that combines therapeutics and diagnostics to help doctors develop highly individualized and targeted treatments based on a patient’s health profile. Theranostic medicine uses nanotechnology to help detect, see and treat disease at the same time. Rai, who has received more than $725,000 from the National Cancer Institute to advance his research and develop targeted treatment for breast-cancer patients, will discuss his work, along with such techniques as photodynamic therapy, which involves the use of light to kill cancer cells and nano-chemoprevention, which uses nanoparticles to deliver chemotherapy agents to help prevent cancer.
Where: McGauvran Student Center, Room 410, South Campus, 71 Wilder St., Lowell
Contacts for media: Nancy Cicco, 978-934-4944, Nancy_Cicco@uml.edu or Christine Gillette, 978-934-2209, Christine_Gillette@uml.edu
SaabNew Portuguese Center Presents Perspective on Lisbon’s Influence
When: Tuesday, April 30, 6:30 p.m.
What: The new Saab-Pedroso Center for Portuguese Studies and Culture at UMass Lowell will present scholar Cristiana Bastos, who will explore what makes Lisbon a cosmopolitan hub during her talk, “Old Trends, New Routes: Lisbon at the Crossroads of Global Migrations.” Bastos, of the Institute of Social Sciences at the University of Lisbon in Portugal, will discuss how the city became a destination for people from around the world throughout history, including during the “Euro-euphoria” of the late 20th century. She will also touch on the transformations in the urban landscape of Southern Europe as they relate to the European financial crisis. In conjunction with the center, the program is presented by Luis Falcon, dean of UMass Lowell’s College of Fine Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences and the Center for Arts and Ideas.
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, Christine_Gillette@uml.edu
KerouacBook Series Explores Jack Kerouac’s Lowell-Centric Works
When: Tuesday, April 30, 7 p.m. and Tuesday, May 14, 6:30 p.m.
What: UMass Lowell Libraries’ free reading and discussion series on Jack Kerouac’s Lowell-centric novels continues with a focus on “Maggie Cassidy” on Tuesday, April 30. Prof. Todd Tietchen, a member of UMass Lowell’s English faculty and a Beat Generation scholar, will lead the discussion, during which books and snacks will be provided. On Tuesday, May 14, the group will host a public reading of “Visions of Gerard” at a restaurant in downtown Lowell, Kerouac’s old stomping ground. 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, Office of Community and Cultural Affairs, and the Massachusetts Humanities Council.
Where: April 30 – O’Leary Library Learning Commons, South Campus, 61 Wilder St., Lowell. May 14 – The Old Court Irish Pub and Restaurant, 29 Central St., Lowell
Contacts for media: Nancy Cicco, 978-934-4944, Nancy_Cicco@uml.edu or Christine Gillette, 978-934-2209, Christine_Gillette@uml.edu
ShineUMass Lowell Senior, Hockey Team Among State’s ‘29 Who Shine’
When: Thursday, May 2, noon
What: UMass Lowell senior Vladimir Saldana will be honored by the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education at the annual “29 Who Shine” event. The program recognizes students graduating from the state’s 29 public colleges and universities whose academic achievements, commitment to community service and desire to build a career and life in Massachusetts after graduation personify the best in public higher education. This year, the event will also recognize the achievements of the UMass Lowell River Hawks men’s hockey team, which just finished its most successful season in program history having competed in the NCAA Division I Frozen Four national championship. Gov. Deval Patrick, state Higher Education Chairman Charles Desmond, state legislators and representatives of each campus will participate. Saldana, a Lowell resident majoring in finance and management in UMass Lowell’s Manning School of Business, has been chosen to present honors to faculty and staff members from each of the UMass campuses who have served as mentors to the student honorees. That presentation will include Saldana’s mentor, David Jones, UMass Lowell’s director of multicultural affairs. For more on Saldana, visit (http://www.uml.edu/Profiles/Vladimir-Saldana.aspx) www.uml.edu/Profiles/Vladimir-Saldana.aspx.
Where: Massachusetts State House, Great Hall of Flags, 24 Beacon St., Boston
Contacts for media: Nancy Cicco, 978-934-4944, Nancy_Cicco@uml.edu or Christine Gillette, 978-934-2209, Christine_Gillette@uml.edu
ConcertCity’s Young Musicians to Perform in Public Concert
When: Sunday, May 5, 3 p.m.
What: Members of the UMass Lowell Sting Project and the Lowell Youth Orchestra will perform a concert for the public. The String Project, led by UMass Lowell faculty member Gena Greher, provides string-instrument instruction and music classes to Lowell public school students, who are taught by UMass Lowell students, faculty and visiting artists. Under the direction of Ben Parisi, a UMass Lowell graduate, the Lowell Youth Orchestra offers the city’s young musicians ensemble experience. The group performs both traditional and non-traditional compositions reflective of the Lowell community. Admission is free but donations collected will help fund these vital programs.
Where: Durgin Concert 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, Christine_Gillette@uml.edu
GalaCommencement Eve Gala Celebrates Graduates, Honorary Degree Recipients
When: Friday, May 17, 5 p.m.
What: UMass Lowell students, faculty, alumni and honored guests will celebrate the achievements of the Class of 2013 and raise money for student scholarships during the sixth annual Commencement Eve gala. Participants are scheduled to include Boston Police Commissioner Edward Davis and social entrepreneur Harish Hande, ’98, ’00, this year’s commencement speakers; philanthropist Nancy Donahue; Elisia and Mark Saab ’81, co-founders of Advanced Polymers Inc.; and Distinguished Alumni Award winner Bernard Shapiro ’56. Honored posthumously with a Distinguished Alumni Award will be Gary Mucica ’71. The event will also honor students who have excelled in academics, community service and service to the university. In the past five years, the Commencement Eve celebration has raised more than $2.2 million for student scholarships. Admission, which includes cocktails, dinner and entertainment, is $125 per person. For tickets, contact Kathleen Sullivan at 978-934-3236 or Kathleen_Sullivan@uml.edu. For sponsorship information, contact Louise Griffin at 978-934-3243 or Louise_Griffin@uml.edu.
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, Christine_Gillette@uml.edu
DavisBoston Police Commissioner Ed Davis to Deliver Commencement Address
When: Saturday, May 18, Undergraduate ceremony, 9 a.m., graduate ceremony, 3 p.m.
What: Boston Police Commissioner Ed Davis, whose leadership in the aftermath of the Boston Marathon bombings has personified the spirit of “Boston Strong,” will deliver the Commencement address to the Class of 2013 at UMass Lowell’s undergraduate ceremony. Social entrepreneur Harish Hande ’98, ’00 – who as the co-founder of Solar Electric Light Co. India is pioneering access to solar electricity for more than half a million people in India – will deliver the graduate ceremony address. For the sixth year in a row, a record number of graduates – 3,169 – will receive degrees from UMass Lowell. Davis and Hande will receive honorary degrees from the university, along with philanthropist Nancy Donahue and Elisia and Mark Saab ’81, co-founders of Advanced Polymers Inc. Distinguished Alumni Awards will be presented to Bernard Shapiro ’56 and Gary Mucica ’71 (to be honored posthumously). A champion of predictive and community policing, Davis leads the 20th-largest law enforcement agency in the U.S. with more than 2,000 officers and 800 civilian employees. A Lowell native, he previously served as the superintendent of police in the Mill City for 12 years.
Where: Tsongas Center at UMass Lowell, 300 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Lowell
Contacts for media: Nancy Cicco, 978-934-4944, Nancy_Cicco@uml.edu or Christine Gillette, 978-934-2209, Christine_Gillette@uml.edu