News from UMass Lowell for Week of Oct. 11, 2016

10/11/2016

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 Please note that contact names below are for the media and are not for publication.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

• Massachusetts’ referendum on charter schools, which goes before voters next month;
• What’s next for Samsung after it announced it will halt production of its troubled Galaxy Note 7 smartphones;
• National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and cutting-edge, targeted therapy to treat the disease.

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

Olympians’ Physical Therapist Shares His Experiences in Rio at Event
‘Spotlight’ Reporter Discusses Pulitzer-winning Work at Free Lecture
Tsongas Industrial History Center Kicks Off 25th Anniversary with Celebration
Future of Robots Explored at Conference for Researchers, Students
Mediation Tournament Sharpens Students’ Skills in Conflict Resolution

Olympians’ Physical Therapist Shares His Experiences in Rio at Event

When: Wednesday, Oct. 12, 4:30 p.m.
What: Alexandre Lopes, an associate professor in UMass Lowell’s Physical Therapy Department, will present “Going for Gold: My Experience in Rio,” a free event open to the public that will recount his time evaluating the health of athletes at this summer’s Olympics. A physical therapist, Lopes has worked with elite athletes at competitions around the world.
Where: O’Leary Library Learning Commons, Room 222, 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

‘Spotlight’ Reporter Discusses Pulitzer-winning Work at Free Lecture

When: Thursday, Oct. 13, 11:45 a.m.
What: Journalist Michael Rezendes from the Boston Globe’s Spotlight team will present a free Lunchtime Lecture for the public and university community about the Pulitzer Prize-winning efforts to uncover the clergy sex abuse scandal, which is the subject of the Academy Award-winning film “Spotlight.” Rezendes, who was played by Mark Ruffalo in the movie, will share his behind-the-scenes experiences during the making of the film and discuss the role of investigative journalism in society. The Lunchtime Lectures Series brings public speakers campus each year to engage participants in a dialogue on topics of interest. The programs are presented by UMass Lowell and the Moses Greeley Parker Lectures with support from community partners.
Where: O’Leary Library Learning Commons, 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

Tsongas Industrial History Center Kicks Off 25th Anniversary with Celebration

When: Thursday, Oct. 13, 4 to 6 p.m.
What: The Tsongas Industrial History Center – which educates thousands of schoolchildren and teachers each year about the American Industrial Revolution – will host a celebration for the community and campus marking its 25th anniversary. A partnership between UMass Lowell’s Graduate School of Education and Lowell National Historical Park, the center provides programs and workshops that educate participants about Lowell’s place in the country’s industrial past, present and future. The event is scheduled to include the unveiling of a new exhibit and remarks by U.S. Rep. Niki Tsongas, UMass Lowell Provost Michael Vayda and Lowell National Historical Park Superintendent Celeste Bernardo. The center was the brainchild of the late U.S. Sen. Paul Tsongas as part of his efforts to revitalize Lowell by recognizing its contributions to American history. Members of the public interested in attending the free event should RSVP no later than Wednesday, Oct. 12 to TIHC@uml.edu or 978-970-5080.
Where: Tsongas Industrial History Center, Boott Cotton Mills Museum, 115 John 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

Future of Robots Explored at Conference for Researchers, Students

When: Thursday, Oct. 13 through Friday, Oct. 14. NERVE Center tour and “Valkyrie” demonstration – Friday, Oct. 14, 9 a.m.
What: Computer scientists, researchers and students from around the world will gather at UMass Lowell’s New England Robotics Validation and Experimentation (NERVE) Center for the 2016 NAO Robot Congress and Developers Showcase. The event will explore current and future uses for the NAO humanoid robot, which speaks 19 languages, stands 2 feet tall and can be used to assist in the health care of children and dementia patients, to teach mathematics and to instruct people with autism on skills including how to pick upon social cues. The conference will include a tour of NERVE – one of the nation’s most advanced robotics testing facilities – and a demonstration of “Valkyrie,” NASA’s 6-foot-tall humanoid robot, which is at the UMass Lowell center for two years, where researchers are developing its capabilities for future space exploration.
Where: NERVE Center at 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

Mediation Tournament Sharpens Students’ Skills in Conflict Resolution

When: Sunday, Oct. 16, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
What: UMass Lowell students will test their abilities to resolve disputes as they host and compete in the Northeast Regional Mediation Tournament. Twelve teams of undergraduate, graduate and law school students from across the country will participate in the event. The contest challenges each participant to role-play as a mediator, advocate and client in a variety of scenarios that require solutions be reached between aggrieved parties. Coaching UMass Lowell’s team is Seth Izen, a UMass Lowell graduate who teaches mediation techniques in the university’s Peace and Conflict Studies Program. The event, presented by the International Academy of Dispute Resolution, is being held at UMass Lowell for the first time this year.
Where: University Crossing, 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