Story and Source Ideas for Journalists

12/01/2014

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 Please note that contact names below are for the media and are not for publication.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 experts are available to discuss:

  • In light of sluggish Black Friday sales, what it will take for the retail industry during the remaining holiday shopping season to recover;
  • The capabilities of robots like those used by companies such as Amazon and how they are affecting the workforce;
  • A case that questions the limits of free speech on social media that is being considered by the Supreme Court.

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

  • Pitch Contests Put Students’ Entrepreneurial Skills to the Test
  • Dogs Rule at Fourth Annual ‘Pucks and Paws Night’
  • Event Showcases Crafts Handmade by Women
  • Mandela’s Prison Guard Talks about Memoir, Friendship with Leader
  • Advances in Cancer Therapy Among Symposium’s Topics
  • Concert to Feature Young Musicians of the String Project
  • Sessions to Teach How to Write Lowell-Focused Wikipedia Entries
  • Robots to Rock Open House at the NERVE Center
  • TV Star Returns to UMass Lowell to Help Make Holidays Sparkle

Pitch Contests Put Students’ Entrepreneurial Skills to the Test

When: Wednesday, Dec. 3 and Thursday, Dec. 4, 6 to 9 p.m.

What: UMass Lowell students who are learning entrepreneurial skills through the university’s DifferenceMaker program will present their ideas for new products, services and ventures to panels of expert judges at three “pitch” contests. Winners will be awarded seed money to further their concepts. The competitions are:

The DCU Innovation Contest, which challenges students to develop innovations in banking and finance. Last year’s winners took home $1,500 to advance their idea for a hybrid credit and debit card that would allow users to build credit without banks assuming risk. Wednesday, Dec. 3 in the Perry Atrium of the Mark and Elisia Saab Emerging Technologies and Innovation Center, North Campus, 40 University Ave. Lowell

The Creative Venture Competition for students who have ideas for products, programs or business ventures that provide a social service. Last year’s winner took home $2,500 to develop a web platform called DreamLink. The contest is presented by UMass Lowell’s College of Fine Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences. Wednesday, Dec. 3 at O’Leary Library Learning Commons, Room 222, South Campus, 61 Wilder St., Lowell

College of Engineering Prototype Competition, a new contest that seeks the best student-produced prototypes for mechanical and electrical devices, software applications or integrated systems. Thursday, Dec. 4, Perry Atrium, Mark and Elisia Saab Emerging Technologies and Innovation Center, North Campus, 40 University Ave. Lowell

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

Dogs Rule at Fourth Annual ‘Pucks and Paws Night’

When: Wednesday, Dec. 3, 7 p.m.

What: Hockey lovers will howl during the fourth annual “Pucks and Paws Night,” which invites dogs to take a rinkside seat next to their owners for the River Hawks’ game against the University of Connecticut Huskies. Dog owners may purchase seats in the arena’s Section 110 for $15 and $5 for their dogs, which will enter the arena through a special doggie door at the West Entrance. All dog-ticket proceeds will go to support the Lowell Humane Society, which will have pets up for adoption at the event. Dog owners are required to purchase their tickets in advance by calling Christine Maurais at 978-934-2181 and must provide proof their dogs have up-to-date vaccinations. Season ticket-holders may exchange tickets for their usual seats for seats in Section 110 at no charge with the purchase of a $5 dog ticket. Hydration and waste-management stations will be provided for dogs, all of which must be on a non-retractable leash and have current tags. Tickets are available through the Tsongas Center at UMass Lowell box office, www.TsongasCenter.com or by calling 866-722-8780.

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

Contacts for media: Pete Souris, 978-934-3771, Peter_Souris@uml.edu or Nancy Cicco, 978-934-4944, Nancy_Cicco@uml.edu

Event Showcases Crafts Handmade by Women

When: Thursday, Dec. 4, 2 to 7 p.m.

What: Women crafters and artists – many of whom are UMass Lowell graduates, faculty and staff – will showcase their products for sale during “Women’s Works: A Celebration of the Creativity of Women.” The annual event, ideal for holiday shopping, is filled with handmade jewelry, knitted items, foods, paintings and more. Musical performances and an art show complete shoppers’ experience. Event proceeds will benefit UMass Lowell’s Center for Women and Work, which researches the relationship between gender and work and seeks remedies for gender inequalities in the workplace.

Where: UMass Lowell Inn & Conference Center, Grand Ballroom, 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

Mandela’s Prison Guard Talks about Memoir, Friendship with Leader

When: Thursday, Dec. 4, 4 p.m.

What: Christo Brand will talk about his memoir “Mandela: My Prisoner, My Friend” during a free presentation for the campus community and the public. Brand was Nelson Mandela’s prison guard on Robben Island in South Africa for 12 years, during which the two men developed a strong bond. The book tells the story of their remarkable friendship, which endured through Mandela’s political ascendancy to become South Africa’s president until his death last year. After his talk, Brand will sign copies of the book, which will be available for purchase at the River Hawk Shop, UMass Lowell’s newly expanded bookstore. Members of the public interested in attending the event are asked to register in advance with Mary Robbins at Mary_Robbins@uml.edu.

Where: University Crossing, Moloney Hall, Second Floor, 220 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

Advances in Cancer Therapy Among Symposium’s Topics

When: Friday, Dec. 5, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

What: Wilfred Ngwa, a UMass Lowell assistant professor of physics, will discuss the use of nanoparticles to identify, track and kill cancer cells in patients. His presentation will be one of many during the university’s annual Tripathy Memorial Symposium, which will bring together leading researchers in the fields of biomedicine, nanotechnology and plastics engineering to talk about their latest findings and the future of these fields. The event honors the life and work of Sukant Tripathy, a chemical engineering professor, founder and former director of UMass Lowell’s Center for Advanced Materials, and a past provost and vice chancellor of academic affairs.

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

Concert to Feature Young Musicians of the String Project

When: Saturday, Dec. 6, 3 p.m.

What: Musicians age 8 to 18 from throughout the Merrimack Valley who are learning to play instruments including the violin and the viola through UMass Lowell’s String Project will perform a free holiday concert. The event will feature the music of “The Nutcracker” and the university’s Freshman Chorus will sing selections from Vivaldi’s “Gloria.” Under the direction of John-Morgan Bush, a member of UMass Lowell’s music faculty, the String Project earned outstanding program of the year accolades this past spring from the American String Teachers Association. Free concert parking is available in the Wilder lot near the venue.

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

Sessions to Teach How to Write Lowell-Focused Wikipedia Entries

When: Sunday, Dec. 7, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

What: The UMass Lowell and Pollard Memorial libraries will present the first of four sessions to teach people how to write and edit Wikipedia entries about Lowell’s neighborhoods, people and history. This session will focus on downtown Lowell; subsequent sessions will be held in early 2015 about other areas of the city. Participants will learn to create and edit Wikipedia pages and will have access to library resources. Attendees must register in advance for the sessions at http://tinyurl.com/lxel7vs and are encouraged to bring their laptops, smartphones, digital cameras and any materials about Lowell history they wish to reference. Participants may attend any or all of the sessions in their entirety or for a portion of them.

Where: 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

Robots to Rock Open House at the NERVE Center

When: Tuesday, Dec. 9, 6 to 8 p.m.

What: Demonstrations of robots being developed for research and the marketplace will be the centerpiece of a free public event at the New England Robotics Validation and Experimentation (NERVE) Center at UMass Lowell. Opened in 2012, the center is the country’s leading robotics testing facility, challenging the durability and agility of these machines through a variety of obstacle courses and activities simulating real-world situations. Interactive, kinetic sculptures made by UMass Lowell students as part of an artbotics course – which combines art, computer science and robotics – will also be on display. Members of the public interested in attending the event are asked to register in advance at http://nerve.uml.edu and anyone who has a robot they would like to demonstrate should contact Adam Norton at anorton@cs.uml.edu.

Where: New England Robotics Validation and Experimentation Center (NERVE), 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

TV Star Returns to UMass Lowell to Help Make Holidays Sparkle

When: Wednesday, Dec. 10, 6 to 9 p.m.

What: Television host, interior designer and UMass Lowell graduate Taniya Nayak – best known for her work on HGTV and the Food Network’s “Restaurant Impossible” – will talk about her design work, life at UMass Lowell, family and how she balances it all during an event for the campus community and the public. A question-and-answer session during the program will allow audience members to hear Nayak’s opinions about home-improvement and interior-design projects. A portion of the ticket proceeds will supports scholarships for UMass Lowell students Tickets are $30 per person and may be purchased at http://alumni.uml.edu/homefortheholidays or by contacting the Office of Alumni Relations at 978-934-3140.

Where: University Crossing, Moloney Hall, Second Floor, 220 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

The Creative Venture Competition for students who have ideas for products, programs or business ventures that provide a social service. Last year’s winner took home $2,500 to develop a web platform called DreamLink. The contest is presented by UMass Lowell’s College of Fine Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences. Wednesday, Dec. 3 at O’Leary Library Learning Commons, Room 222, South Campus, 61 Wilder St., Lowell

College of Engineering Prototype Competition, a new contest that seeks the best student-produced prototypes for mechanical and electrical devices, software applications or integrated systems. Thursday, Dec. 4, Perry Atrium, Mark and Elisia Saab Emerging Technologies and Innovation Center, North Campus, 40 University Ave. Lowell

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

Dogs Rule at Fourth Annual ‘Pucks and Paws Night’

When: Wednesday, Dec. 3, 7 p.m.

What: Hockey lovers will howl during the fourth annual “Pucks and Paws Night,” which invites dogs to take a rinkside seat next to their owners for the River Hawks’ game against the University of Connecticut Huskies. Dog owners may purchase seats in the arena’s Section 110 for $15 and $5 for their dogs, which will enter the arena through a special doggie door at the West Entrance. All dog-ticket proceeds will go to support the Lowell Humane Society, which will have pets up for adoption at the event. Dog owners are required to purchase their tickets in advance by calling Christine Maurais at 978-934-2181 and must provide proof their dogs have up-to-date vaccinations. Season ticket-holders may exchange tickets for their usual seats for seats in Section 110 at no charge with the purchase of a $5 dog ticket. Hydration and waste-management stations will be provided for dogs, all of which must be on a non-retractable leash and have current tags. Tickets are available through the Tsongas Center at UMass Lowell box office, www.TsongasCenter.com or by calling 866-722-8780.

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

Contacts for media: Pete Souris, 978-934-3771, Peter_Souris@uml.edu or Nancy Cicco, 978-934-4944, Nancy_Cicco@uml.edu

Event Showcases Crafts Handmade by Women

When: Thursday, Dec. 4, 2 to 7 p.m.

What: Women crafters and artists – many of whom are UMass Lowell graduates, faculty and staff – will showcase their products for sale during “Women’s Works: A Celebration of the Creativity of Women.” The annual event, ideal for holiday shopping, is filled with handmade jewelry, knitted items, foods, paintings and more. Musical performances and an art show complete shoppers’ experience. Event proceeds will benefit UMass Lowell’s Center for Women and Work, which researches the relationship between gender and work and seeks remedies for gender inequalities in the workplace.

Where: UMass Lowell Inn & Conference Center, Grand Ballroom, 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

Mandela’s Prison Guard Talks about Memoir, Friendship with Leader

When: Thursday, Dec. 4, 4 p.m.

What: Christo Brand will talk about his memoir “Mandela: My Prisoner, My Friend” during a free presentation for the campus community and the public. Brand was Nelson Mandela’s prison guard on Robben Island in South Africa for 12 years, during which the two men developed a strong bond. The book tells the story of their remarkable friendship, which endured through Mandela’s political ascendancy to become South Africa’s president until his death last year. After his talk, Brand will sign copies of the book, which will be available for purchase at the River Hawk Shop, UMass Lowell’s newly expanded bookstore. Members of the public interested in attending the event are asked to register in advance with Mary Robbins at Mary_Robbins@uml.edu.

Where: University Crossing, Moloney Hall, Second Floor, 220 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

Advances in Cancer Therapy Among Symposium’s Topics

When: Friday, Dec. 5, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

What: Wilfred Ngwa, a UMass Lowell assistant professor of physics, will discuss the use of nanoparticles to identify, track and kill cancer cells in patients. His presentation will be one of many during the university’s annual Tripathy Memorial Symposium, which will bring together leading researchers in the fields of biomedicine, nanotechnology and plastics engineering to talk about their latest findings and the future of these fields. The event honors the life and work of Sukant Tripathy, a chemical engineering professor, founder and former director of UMass Lowell’s Center for Advanced Materials, and a past provost and vice chancellor of academic affairs.

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

Concert to Feature Young Musicians of the String Project

When: Saturday, Dec. 6, 3 p.m.

What: Musicians age 8 to 18 from throughout the Merrimack Valley who are learning to play instruments including the violin and the viola through UMass Lowell’s String Project will perform a free holiday concert. The event will feature the music of “The Nutcracker” and the university’s Freshman Chorus will sing selections from Vivaldi’s “Gloria.” Under the direction of John-Morgan Bush, a member of UMass Lowell’s music faculty, the String Project earned outstanding program of the year accolades this past spring from the American String Teachers Association. Free concert parking is available in the Wilder lot near the venue.

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

Sessions to Teach How to Write Lowell-Focused Wikipedia Entries

When: Sunday, Dec. 7, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

What: The UMass Lowell and Pollard Memorial libraries will present the first of four sessions to teach people how to write and edit Wikipedia entries about Lowell’s neighborhoods, people and history. This session will focus on downtown Lowell; subsequent sessions will be held in early 2015 about other areas of the city. Participants will learn to create and edit Wikipedia pages and will have access to library resources. Attendees must register in advance for the sessions at http://tinyurl.com/lxel7vs and are encouraged to bring their laptops, smartphones, digital cameras and any materials about Lowell history they wish to reference. Participants may attend any or all of the sessions in their entirety or for a portion of them.

Where: 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

Robots to Rock Open House at the NERVE Center

When: Tuesday, Dec. 9, 6 to 8 p.m.

What: Demonstrations of robots being developed for research and the marketplace will be the centerpiece of a free public event at the New England Robotics Validation and Experimentation (NERVE) Center at UMass Lowell. Opened in 2012, the center is the country’s leading robotics testing facility, challenging the durability and agility of these machines through a variety of obstacle courses and activities simulating real-world situations. Interactive, kinetic sculptures made by UMass Lowell students as part of an artbotics course – which combines art, computer science and robotics – will also be on display. Members of the public interested in attending the event are asked to register in advance at http://nerve.uml.edu and anyone who has a robot they would like to demonstrate should contact Adam Norton at anorton@cs.uml.edu.

Where: New England Robotics Validation and Experimentation Center (NERVE), 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

TV Star Returns to UMass Lowell to Help Make Holidays Sparkle

When: Wednesday, Dec. 10, 6 to 9 p.m.

What: Television host, interior designer and UMass Lowell graduate Taniya Nayak – best known for her work on HGTV and the Food Network’s “Restaurant Impossible” – will talk about her design work, life at UMass Lowell, family and how she balances it all during an event for the campus community and the public. A question-and-answer session during the program will allow audience members to hear Nayak’s opinions about home-improvement and interior-design projects. A portion of the ticket proceeds will supports scholarships for UMass Lowell students Tickets are $30 per person and may be purchased at http://alumni.uml.edu/homefortheholidays or by contacting the Office of Alumni Relations at 978-934-3140.

Where: University Crossing, Moloney Hall, Second Floor, 220 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

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