Story and Source Ideas for Journalists
03/27/2018
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. In case of inclement weather, call UMass Lowell’s weather hotline at 978-934-2121; if the university is closed, events are canceled. For more news 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 Please note that contact names below are for the media and are not for publication.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:
- Social activism’s role in shaping public policy – from the 1960s civil-rights movement to Saturday’s National Walkout Day protesting gun violence;
- World Autism Awareness Day on Monday, April 2 and how educators, parents and others can support children diagnosed with the disorder;
- Non-disclosure agreements, as adult film star Stormy Daniels claims her confidentiality contract with President Trump is invalid;
- How the NCAA March Madness tournament puts colleges on the map.
Contact UMass Lowell media relations if you need an expert source on any subject.
Entrepreneur Speaks on the Power of Innovation
When and where: Tuesday, March 27, 11:45 a.m. O’Leary Library Learning Commons, South Campus, 61 Wilder St., Lowell
What: Internationally known entrepreneur Gururaj “Desh” Deshpande will present “The Power of Entrepreneurship in the 21st Century,” a free program for the campus and community exploring how startups can help transform people’s lives and communities. Over his 30-year career, Deshpande has helped launch several companies, including Cascade Communications and Sycamore Networks. Through the Deshpande Foundation, he supports entrepreneurship and economic growth in cities across the globe – including in Lowell and Lawrence – by helping individuals launch their own ventures. The Deshpande Symposium on Innovation and Entrepreneurship, held annually in partnership with UMass Lowell, advances the role colleges and universities play in training the next generation of entrepreneurs.
Contacts for media: Nancy Cicco, 978-934-4944, Nancy_Cicco@uml.edu or Christine Gillette, 978-934-2209, Christine_Gillette@uml.edu
Event Examines the State of Democracy in Cambodia
When and where: Tuesday, March 27, 3:30 p.m., O’Leary Library Learning Commons, Room 222, 61 Wilder St., Lowell
What: “Cambodia 25 Years Later: The UN, Democracy and the Future of International Assistance” will explore the Southeast Asian country’s politics since the United Nations’ 1992 launch of a program to grow democracy there. Led by international relations expert Sophal Ear, the forum is free and open to all, and is the latest in the speaker series named for F. Bradford Morse, the former U.S. congressman and United Nations administrator who began his career in Lowell. The event, supported by an endowment from the Morse family, is presented by the UMass Lowell Political Science Department, Center for Asian American Studies and College of Fine Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences. Members of the public who would like more information should visit www.uml.edu/Research/CAAS/News-Events/.
Contacts for media: Nancy Cicco, 978-934-4944, Nancy_Cicco@uml.edu or Christine Gillette, 978-934-2209, Christine_Gillette@uml.edu
Program Expands Students’ Service-Learning Opportunities
When and where: Thursday, March 29, 8:30 a.m. University Crossing, 220 Pawtucket St., Lowell
What: Representatives of Merrimack Valley service organizations will meet with UMass Lowell faculty at the annual Community Connections Breakfast to expand opportunities for students to learn outside the classroom through service learning. These experiences build on students’ civic engagement and complement their academic coursework. UMass Lowell’s commitment to these opportunities has earned the university a place on the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll and recognition by the Carnegie Foundation as a community-engaged campus.
Contacts for media: Nancy Cicco, 978-934-4944, Nancy_Cicco@uml.edu or Christine Gillette, 978-934-2209, Christine_Gillette@uml.edu
Nanomanufacturing’s Impact Explored by University Professor
When and where: Thursday, March 29, 4 p.m. Mark and Elisia Saab Emerging Technologies and Innovation Center, North Campus, 40 University Ave., Lowell
What: This year’s Distinguished University Professor, Joey Mead of Plastics Engineering, will present “Nano-enabled: How Nanomanufacturing Enables Research and Collaboration” for the campus community. Mead is an authority on the subject and on the manufacturing and performance of plastics. She was named Distinguished University Professor – the highest accolade awarded to a UMass Lowell faculty member – earlier in the academic year in honor of her outstanding teaching, exemplary research and contributions to the university. Mead holds nine patents and leads several of UMass Lowell’s signature research centers and programs.
Contacts for media: Nancy Cicco, 978-934-4944, Nancy_Cicco@uml.edu or Christine Gillette, 978-934-2209, Christine_Gillette@uml.edu
Career Fair Jumpstarts Students’ Professional Lives
When and where: Thursday, March 29, 4 to 5:30 p.m. Tsongas Center at UMass Lowell, 300 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Lowell – Event rescheduled from March 21.
What: Representatives of more than 200 businesses, government agencies and nonprofits – including Entegris, the Federal Aviation Administration and Key Autism Services – will come to campus to recruit UMass Lowell students from all majors for jobs, co-ops and internships. Many recruiters at the event will be alumni returning to the university because they know the value of UMass Lowell-educated candidates, who are eager to put their education, experience and enthusiasm to work. Note: The event is not open to the public, but members of the media are invited to cover it and interview students and employers.
Contacts for media: Nancy Cicco, 978-934-4944, Nancy_Cicco@uml.edu or Christine Gillette, 978-934-2209, Christine_Gillette@uml.edu
Nobel Peace Prize Winner to Lead Day Without Violence
When and where: Tuesday, April 3, 12:30 p.m. University Crossing, 220 Pawtucket St., Lowell
What: Nobel Peace Prize winner Tawakkol Karman, UMass Lowell’s 2018 Greeley Scholar for Peace Studies, will lead the university’s annual Day Without Violence, a free program for the campus and public, where she will deliver a keynote address on non-violence as a means of struggle, change and success. For her efforts in women’s rights and democracy and peace in Yemen, Karman became the first Arab woman and second-youngest person to receive the Nobel Peace Prize. Known as “the lady of the Arab Spring,” Karman is the head of Women Journalists Without Chains.
Contacts for media: Nancy Cicco, 978-934-4944, Nancy_Cicco@uml.edu or Christine Gillette, 978-934-2209, Christine_Gillette@uml.edu
Prospective Graduate Students Invited to Admissions Open House
When and where: Sunday, April 8, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. University Crossing, 220 Pawtucket St., Lowell
What: Working professionals and other prospective students considering earning a UMass Lowell graduate degree are invited to visit campus to speak to university representatives about graduate, continuing education and online programs. UMass Lowell offers 42 master’s and 36 doctoral degrees, and more than 70 graduate certificate programs, which are available on campus, online or in a format that combines both options. UMass Lowell’s programs are nationally accredited and highly ranked for quality and return on investment by U.S. News & World Report and PayScale.com, among others. Members of the public should visit www.uml.edu/Grad/events/open-house.aspx for more information.
Contacts for media: Nancy Cicco, 978-934-4944, Nancy_Cicco@uml.edu or Christine Gillette, 978-934-2209, Christine_Gillette@uml.edu