Story and Source Ideas for Journalists
08/30/2016
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 Please note that contact names below are for the media and are not for publication.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:
- Emerging terrorist threats as the country marks the 15th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks;
- Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump’s expected speech Wednesday on his immigration policy;
- The significance of Labor Day and the Democratic and Republican platforms on issues including minimum wage, pay equity and trade policies.
Contact UMass Lowell media relations if you need an expert source on any subject.
- UMass Lowell Begins Year with Largest Incoming Class Ever
- ‘Welcome Back Night’ Invites Students to Experience Lowell
- Impact of Irish Rebellion Still Powerful a Century Later
- New Exhibit Chronicles ‘Countdown to the End of the Sun’
- Legacy of Trailblazing Woman Scientist Honored at Event
UMass Lowell Begins Year with Largest Incoming Class Ever
When: Wednesday, Aug. 31, 10 a.m.
What: UMass Lowell Chancellor Jacquie Moloney and other representatives of the university community will officially welcome the 1,700-member Class of 2020 and 1,200 new transfer students. The most diverse incoming class ever, it is also the largest, made up of more than 1,700 first-year students who also boast the highest average high-school GPA (3.59) and SAT score (1179) in university history. Corey Ciocchetti, author and ethics expert, will deliver a keynote address designed to inspire students to pursue an integrity-focused life that will guide them in decision-making and provide a fuller sense of individual success. Three student teams in the DifferenceMaker entrepreneurship education program will also pitch their ideas for new products and services and the winners chosen by audience vote will receive seed funding for their project. The ceremony will be followed by a club fair featuring UMass Lowell’s more than 200 student organizations.
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 or Christine_Gillette@uml.edu
‘Welcome Back Night’ Invites Students to Experience Lowell
When: Thursday, Sept. 1, 4 to 8:30 p.m. Scavenger hunt begins at 4 p.m. Tours run from 5 to 6:45 p.m. Social begins at 6:30 p.m.
What: Again this year, hundreds of UMass Lowell students, faculty and staff will experience Lowell’s vibrant downtown during an event that helps kick off the academic year. Activities will include tours of the city’s cultural and historical attractions led by staff from Lowell National Historical Park and Cultural Organization of Lowell (COOL), a Snapchat scavenger hunt, discounts at local businesses and a social at Mill No. 5 – the home of an eclectic collection of locally owned shops and other businesses. UMass Lowell Chancellor Jacquie Moloney and City Manager Kevin Murphy are expected to participate. The event is presented by UMass Lowell in partnership with the city, the national park, Mill No. 5 and other community partners.
Where: Tours begin at the UMass Lowell Inn & Conference Center, 50 Warren St., Lowell. Mill No. 5 social will be held at 250 Jackson 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
Impact of Irish Rebellion Still Powerful a Century Later
When: Wednesday, Sept. 7, 7 to 8 p.m. and Thursday, Sept. 8, 9 a.m. to 4:30 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 sessions on how Irish-Americans responded to the Irish rebellion, its impact throughout Massachusetts and the contributions of Lowell residents to both the Irish nationalists’ cause and World War I. The event is presented by the UMass Lowell Center for Irish Partnerships and Queen’s University Belfast. Speakers during the event’s 10 sessions are scheduled to include Fionnuala Quinlan, Ireland’s consul general to Boston, UMass Lowell Chancellor Jacquie Moloney and UMass President Marty Meehan, who was involved in the Northern Ireland peace process while representing Massachusetts’ 5th Congressional District.
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
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 from Thursday, Sept. 1 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 star. 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 lecture will feature Susan Solomon, Ph.D., who holds the MIT professorship named for Richards and whose research focus 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