News from UMass Lowell for Week of Dec. 3, 2018

12/03/2018

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

This is a notice of upcoming events, photo opportunities and story ideas at UMass Lowell. For more, visit www.uml.edu/pressroom. 

Sources of the week 

UMass Lowell faculty experts are available to discuss:

• How to help loved ones who may be experiencing depression during the holidays;
• What taxpayers can do between now and the end of the year to minimize their tax burden for 2018.

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

Southeast Asian Community Archive Opens to the Public

When and where: Tuesday, Dec. 4, 4 p.m. O’Leary Library Learning Commons, mezzanine, South Campus, 61 Wilder St., Lowell

What: A new digital archive chronicling the history and experience of people of Southeast Asian origin living throughout Greater Lowell will be unveiled and demonstrated at this free event for the public and campus. The Southeast Asian Digital Archive at UMass Lowell, a free resource for the community, shares the stories of refugees and immigrants from Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam. Speakers at the event are scheduled to include Chancellor Jacquie Moloney, who served as executive director of the Lowell-based Indochinese Refugee Foundation (IRF) before she joined the university, along with the project’s leaders. Members of the public who would like more information should email seada@uml.edu. 

Pitch Contests Showcase Students’ Innovations  

What: UMass Lowell students will vie for seed money to fund their ideas for new innovations at three pitch contests – one each focused on banking and finance, creative ventures and engineering – presented through UMass Lowell’s DifferenceMaker Program, which teaches entrepreneurial skills, including how to launch new businesses and nonprofits. Since 2012, participants have founded 19 companies, raised more than $1.3 million to support their startups and have filed or been awarded eight patents. The pitch contests are:

• The DCU/Manning School of Business Innovation Contest – Concepts to improve the banking and financial industries will be pitched beginning at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 4 at University Crossing, 220 Pawtucket St., Lowell. The event is sponsored by UMass Lowell graduate James Regan, CEO of DCU.  
• Creative Venture Competition – Ideas for new programs, products and services in the arts and nonprofit sectors will be featured during the event, held by the UMass Lowell College of Fine Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, on Wednesday, Dec. 5 at 6 p.m. in O’Leary Library Learning Commons, Room 222, South Campus, 61 Wilder St., Lowell. The event is sponsored by UMass Lowell graduates Glenn Morgan and Jack Ford.  
• Francis College of Engineering Prototyping Competition – Prototypes for new mechanical and electrical devices, systems and software will be pitched on Thursday, Dec. 6 at 4 p.m. at the Mark and Elisia Saab Emerging Technologies and Innovation Center, North Campus, 40 University Ave., Lowell. 

Teach-In: How Images Affect Understanding of Climate Change

When and where: Wednesday, Dec. 5, 3:30 p.m. O’Leary Library Learning Commons, Room 222, South Campus, 61 Wilder St., Lowell  

What: How images of the environment that appear in the media help shape the public’s understanding of climate change will be explored at the UMass Lowell David Lustick Climate Change Teach-In. Biological Sciences Prof. Juliette Rooney-Varga, director of UMass Lowell’s Climate Change Initiative, and Art and Design Prof. Michael Rabinovich will lead the discussion. The free event is open to the public. Named in honor of Lustick, who was nationally recognized for his climate-change education efforts, the program is presented by UMass Lowell’s Climate Change Initiative and faculty working on the university’s Climate Change Plan. Both inspire and guide the UMass Lowell community in taking action to achieve carbon neutrality on and off campus. Members of the public who would like more information should email Kirsten_Swenson@uml.edu.

NBC Correspondent to Lead Event on Midterm Election Results

When and where: Friday, Dec. 7, 4 p.m. O’Leary Library, Room 222, South Campus, 61 Wilder St., Lowell

What: NBC News National Political Correspondent Steve Kornacki, a frequent contributor on MSNBC and the “Today” show, will discuss the impact of the 2018 midterm elections during a free program for the campus and public. He will also share insights from his new book, “The Red and the Blue: The 1990s and the Birth of Political Tribalism,” which will be available for purchase at the event. In 2017, UMass Lowell awarded an honorary doctor of humane letters degree to Kornacki, a Groton native who took dual-enrollment classes at the university as a high-school student. Members of the public who would like more information should email contact Francis_Talty@uml.edu.

Student Musicians, Vocalists Perform at Free Concerts for Public

Where: Durgin Hall, South Campus, 35 Wilder St., Lowell 

What: Free concerts for the public and campus that highlight the breadth and depth of talent being cultivated through UMass Lowell’s music programs and student organizations will be performed by instrumental ensembles and vocal groups. No tickets are required for these events and free parking is available in the nearby Wilder Lot. Events include performances by:

• Mixed Chamber and World Music ensembles – UMass Lowell music majors in these groups will unite to perform an eclectic program filled with Latin rhythms. Sunday, Dec. 9, 3 p.m.
• Combined University Choirs – UMass Lowell’s Chamber Singers, University Choir and Choral Union, which include students, faculty, staff and members of the community, will perform standards and modern works. Monday, Dec. 10, 8 p.m. 
• Concert Band – Comprised of UMass Lowell student musicians, this group will play selections by traditional and contemporary composers. Debra-Nicole Huber, associate director of university bands, will conduct the ensemble. Thursday, Dec. 13, 8 p.m.