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Sitaraman's study quantifies how online video stream quality affects viewer behavior

It may seem like common sense that the quality of online video streaming affects how willing viewers are to watch videos at a website. But until Computer Science researcher Ramesh Sitaraman and collaborators at Akamai developed a way to rigorously study the question, no one had been able to scientifically test the assumption.
 
They conducted the first large-scale study of its kind to quantitatively demonstrate how video stream quality causes changes in viewer behavior. “Video stream quality is a very big topic of interest,” says Sitaraman.

Fountain elected fellow of National Academy of Public Administration

Professor Jane Fountain, Political Science and Public Policy, has been elected a fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration, which was chartered by Congress in 1967 as an independent body to help government leaders build more effective, efficient, accountable and transparent public sector organizations. Her induction is scheduled for Nov. 15 during the academy’s annual meeting in Washington, D.C.
 
The National Academy relies on its fellows to conduct in-depth studies and analyses that anticipate, evaluate and make recommendations on crucial public management, governance, policy

Author Alison Brown to present Classical Legacy Lecture Nov. 27

This year's Classical Legacy Lecture at the Renaissance Center will be given by writer Alison Brown, author of "The Renaissance, The Medici in Florence: The Exercise of Language and Power, and The Return of Lucretius to Renaissance Florence," on Tuesday, Nov. 27 at 4 p.m.

Brown's talk is titled “Transgression and Modernism in the Thinking of Lucretius and Machiavelli.”

The event is free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be served after the lecture.

The Renaissance Center is located at 650 East Pleasant St. and can be reached at 577-3600.

Yale scholar leads Five College Renaissance Seminar

Brian Walsh of Yale University's English department will give a lecture, “Local Reformations and London City Comedy: Middleton’s The Puritan Widow," on Thursday, Nov. 29 at 4:30 p.m. n the Renaissance Center's Reading Room.

The event is free and open to the public.

The Renaissance Center is located at 650 East Pleasant St. and can be reached at 577-3600.

Flags lowered for former congressman Joseph D. Early

Gov. Deval L. Patrick has ordered that the U.S. and Commonwealth flags be lowered to half-staff at all state buildings until sunset on Wednesday, Nov. 14 in honor of former congressman Joseph D. Early, who died Nov. 9.

Cell biologists identify new protein key to asymmetric cell division

Recently a research team led by Wei-lih Lee, associate professor of Biology, identified a new molecular player in asymmetric cell division, a regulatory protein named She1 whose role in chromosome- and spindle positioning wasn’t known before. Asymmetric cell division is important in the self-renewal of stem cells and because it ensures that daughter cells have different fates and functions.
 
When a fertilized egg develops in a fruit fly or a human being, the number of asymmetric cell divisions must be precisely balanced by symmetric cell divisions, Lee explains.

Collura participates in panel at ITS World Congess in Vienna

Professor John Collura of Civil and Environmental Engineering was an invited panelist at the Intelligent Transportation Society (ITS) World Congress, held Oct. 22-25 in Vienna, Austria.

The international panel, which included transportation researchers and educators from Europe and the Asia Pacific regions, discussed the challenges and issues facing the transportation profession around the world in educating and training its workforce to meet the needs of the 21st century.

Sidney's 'New Arcadia' is topic of Renaissance lecture

David Katz will discuss one of the Renaissance Center's hidden treasures in a lecture,  "The Countess of Pembroke's Hybrid: A presentation on the publication history of Sidney's New Arcadia" on Wednesday, Nov. 14 at 4 p.m. in the center's Reading Room.
 
The event is free, open to the public, and no reservations are needed. There will be light refreshments after the talk.

The Renaissance Center is located at 650 East Pleasant St.  and can be reached at 577-3600.

Renaissance Games Night planned for Nov. 16

A Renaissance Games Night is being held Friday, Nov. 16 from 7-9 p.m. in the Renaissance Center's Reading Room at 650 East Pleasant St.

Sponsored by the Ren Rats, the center's reading group, the evening features food, drink, and Renaissance-era board games. There will also be door prizes.

The event is free and open to the public.
 
For information, call 577-3600

Kidd Pivot’s ‘Tempest Replica’ comes to FAC Nov. 18

Kidd Pivot, based in Vancouver, B.C. and under the direction of Crystal Pite, will perform “The Tempest Replica” on Sunday, Nov. 18 at 7 p.m. in the Fine Arts Center Concert Hall.
 
In her latest dance piece, Pite blends the narrative of Shakespeare’s “The Tempest” with a cinematic approach to dance. The work begins with a cast of “replicas,” dressed in all white, delivering the general plot points of the play.

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