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Espada interviewed on 'Moyers & Company'

English professor Martín Espada was interviewed about poetry's power to capture ideas on the PBS series "Moyers & Company" on Jan. 18.
 
Espada also read his poem, "Litany at the Tomb of Frederick Douglass," which he wrote at the time of President Obama's first inauguration.
 
Watch the interview
 
Photo by Dale Robbins
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Obituary: Grace E. Markert, helped establish Copy Center

Grace Edith (Taylor) Markert, 97, of Chicopee, who helped establish the Copy Center, now Print Services, died Jan. 14.

Born in Chicopee, she lived in Willimansett until her marriage to the late Herman A. Markert in 1948.
 
Her campus service began in 1962 as a part-time clerk in the University Store. She later worked in the Library as a part-time desk assistant and then as a junior clerk in the Student Union. She transferred back to the University Store in 1964 and then to its new Copy Center in 1968. She left in 1980 but did some work as a clerical assistant in 1981.

She was a member of

Randhir advises Turkish researchers on dealing with climate change

Timothy Randhir, associate professor of Environmental Conservation, served as a scientific advisor on modeling climate change and ecosystem services during a trip to Turkey from Jan. 6-15.

The visit was supported by TUBITAK, Turkey’s counterpart of the National Science Foundation, which aims to strengthen efforts in climate and landscape research in the country.

Randhir addressed several research groups at Istanbul University on advanced modeling techniques in landscape modeling and evaluating climatic impacts in watershed ecosystem services.

La Raja discusses effects of Citizens United decision at Cato Institute

Ray La Raja, associate professor of Political Science, participated in a Jan. 23 panel discussion about the effects of the Citizens United Supreme Court decision on elections at the Cato Institute in Washington, D.C.
 
He was joined on the panel by Robert Bauer, former counsel to the president and general counsel for Obama for America 2012, and Bradley Smith, the Josiah H. Blackmore II/Shirley M. Nault Designated Professor of Law at Capital University Law School and former commissioner at the Federal Election Commission.

 
 

Brandt’s asthma paper among top environmental health research of 2012

A paper published last year in the European Respiratory Journal and co-authored by associate professor Sylvia Brandt, Resource Economics and Public Policy, has been named by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) as one of the top research papers of 2012.
 
In the paper, “Costs of Childhood Asthma Due to Traffic-Related Pollution in Two California Communities,” Brandt and her fellow researchers estimate that childhood asthma associated with air pollution in Long Beach and Riverside, Calif., costs $18 million each year.

Fountain gives keynote address on digital governance at Turkish National Assembly

Jane Fountain, professor of Political Science and Public Policy and director of the National Center for Digital Government (NCDG), gave the keynote address on Dec. 17 at the Turkish National Assembly as part of the national awards ceremony to honor recipients of the “eTurkey Awards” for outstanding e-Government innovations and practices.

Building on the belief that Turkey’s transition to an information society depends on an effective eTurkey transformation, TÜSÄ°AD, the Turkish Industry & Business Association, and the Turkish Informatics Foundation (TBV) have organized the “eTR Awards” since

Nagurney organizes 'Dynamics of Disasters' symposium for AAAS meeting

Anna Nagurney, the John F. Smith Memorial Professor at the Isenberg School of Management, has organized the symposium, "Dynamics of Disasters: Harnessing the Science of Networks To Save Lives," at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science on Feb. 17 at the Hynes Convention Center in Boston.

The symposium will feature experts in engineering, operations research/management science, supply chains and logistics, whose skills and expertise can be applied to the suffering associated with disasters, whether natural or man-made.

The speakers will be:

David

Ryan honored by Mass. Tree Wardens and Foresters Association

The Massachusetts Tree Wardens and Foresters Association presented its George E. Stone Award to Dennis Ryan, professor of arboriculture and urban forestry in the Department of Environmental Conservation, on Jan. 15 at the organization's annual meeting in Sturbridge.

The highest honor bestowed by the association, the annual award recognizes a member of MTWFA who has continuously demonstrated outstanding dedication with many hours of volunteer service to the organization.

 

Vokbus honored on retirement from International Programs

Pat Vokbus of the International Programs Office, who is retiring after more than 38 years of service, was honored Jan. 14 by colleagues from across the campus, state and region.
 
“As an international student advisor and dean for international exchange students, Pat’s years advising international students set an example for the entire community on the importance of service to our international students,” said Jack Ahern, vice provost for International Programs.

Nieto, McDermott cited by American Enterprise Institute for promoting public dialogue on education policy

The American Enterprise Institute’s Frederick M. Hess has recognized two scholars from the School of Education for contributions to the national public dialogue on education policy.

 
Professor emerita Sonia Nieto of the Department of Teacher Education and Curriculum Studies and associate professor Kathryn A. McDermott of the Department of Educational Policy, Research and Administration were among 168 education scholars nationwide named to Hess’s “Edu-Scholar Public Presence Rankings,” which recognizes “university-based scholars for their contributions to the public square.”
 
That impact is

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