News

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

Jordaan, researchers conclude fishways haven't helped fish

Despite modern designs intended to allow migratory fish to pass, hydropower dams on major Northeast U.S. waterways, including the Merrimack and Connecticut rivers, have failed to let economically important species such as salmon, shad and river herring reach their spawning grounds, say a team of economists and fish ecologists including Adrian Jordaan of the Environmental Conservation Department. 
 
This raises serious questions about the impact of new dams now being planned and constructed on major waterways worldwide, say the researchers in the current issue of Conservation Letters. The

Schweik addresses Technology, Knowledge and Society conference

Charles Schweik, associate professor of Environmental Conservation and Public Policy, gave a plenary address on Jan. 14 during the annual International Technology, Knowledge and Society conference in Vancouver, British Columbia.
 
His talk, “Internet-based Collaboration in Open Source Software,” described some of the history of open-source software, as well as some selected results from a five-year National Science Foundation-funded study on the topic.

New course proposals

The following new course proposals have been submitted to the Faculty Senate Office for review and approval and are listed here for faculty review and comment. Comments on any new course proposal should be submitted to Ernest May, secretary of the Faculty Senate, at senate@senate.umass.edu.

ANIMLSCI 365, “Fundamentals in Veterinary and Biomedical Laboratory Techniques,” 4 credits; Instructor: Dr. Lisa M. Minter; Lecture and Laboratory. Lecture emphasizes theoretical basis of veterinary clinical procedures, techniques, and instrumentation in hematology, microbiology and parasitology.

Campus, WMECo partner to reduce energy costs, greenhouse gas emissions

In partnership with Western Massachusetts Electric Company (WMECo), the campus recently completed an energy efficiency project expected to save more than $220,000 in energy costs per year and reduce annual carbon dioxide emissions by 1,000 metric tons in 2013 and beyond.
 
To achieve this, WMECo and Physical Plant staff use a technique called “continuous commissioning” to identify low-cost operational and maintenance improvements in buildings where the original operating parameters may have changed or slipped over the years.

Campus announces flu precautions

With students heading back to Amherst for the start of classes next week, the campus is taking preventive measures to manage further outbreaks of the flu.

Dr. Alan Calhoun, director of University Health Services, in an e-mail message sent to students Monday said, “Before returning to campus, please get a flu vaccination since it can take up to two weeks for it to build up your body’s defenses. See your local healthcare provider, go to a community clinic or stop by one of the many retailers offering flu vaccines. The Centers for Disease Control website includes a vaccine finder tool at

Downey joins Emergency Management staff

Thomas S. Downey Jr. has been named emergency management and business continuity coordinator at Environmental Health and Safety.
 
Downey most recently worked as a disaster recovery/business continuity manager for Plymouth Rock Assurance in Boston. From 2007-11, he was assistant vice president for global continuity services for State Street Corporations in Quincy. He also held several positions at Fidelity Investments, including contingency risk operations manager.
 
“The hiring of Tom Downey as emergency management and business continuity coordinator clearly demonstrates the continuing

MWPHE Professional Development Awards available

Massachusetts Women in Public Higher Education (MWPHE), a non-profit organization, is offering a Professional Development Award in the amount of $1,000.

Eligible applicants must be UMass Amherst woman employees and members of MWPHE, which is committed to strengthening the status of women as professionals. The organization will award a total of three Professional Development Awards in the amount of $1,000 each. Winners will be selected from the women employee applicants of each sector: university, sate university and community college.

Download the guidelines and an application at

Obituary: William Bramlage, professor emeritus of Plant and Soil Sciences

William Joseph (Bill) Bramlage, 75, professor emeritus of Plant and Soil Sciences, Jan. 6 in Roanoke, Va., from complications of a congenital form of muscular dystrophy.
 
Born in Dayton, Ohio, he attended Chaminade High School. He earned a B.S. from Ohio State University and his M.S. and Ph.D. in horticulture from the University of Maryland.
 
He joined the faculty in 1964 as an assistant professor of Horticulture. He also taught in the Stockbridge School of Agriculture.

Sorcinelli leads student-centered learning institute in Saudi Arabia

Mary Deane Sorcinelli, associate provost for Faculty Development, director of the Center for Teaching and Faculty Development, and professor of Educational Policy, Research and Administration, last month led a four-day institute on student-centered learning for faculty at King Faisal University in Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia.

She was invited by Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Education and King Faisal University's dean of faculty affairs.

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