News

Climate scientist Raymond Bradley will receive honorary doctorate from Ontario’s Queen’s University

Climate scientist Raymond Bradley, director of the Climate System Research Center, will receive an honorary Doctor of Science degree from Queen’s University in ceremonies to be held June 12 in Kingston, Ontario.
 
Described as “a celebrated global warming whistleblower known for championing integrity in science,” Bradley joins actress Glenn Close as one of two honorary degree recipients from the United States. Also receiving honorary degrees are pioneering nurse Sally Elizabeth Thorne and Canadian Chief Justice Warren Winkler, among others. 
 
The award cites Bradley’s “outstanding

UWN Annual June Social Luncheon

The UWN June Social Luncheon will be held on Wednesday, June 12 from noon-1 pm on the 10th floor of the Campus Center Hotel. This annual luncheon is at no cost to say thank you for your membership. Your involvement and commitment to this organization helps it thrive and continue to positively impact other University Women through your networking and mutual support.

Not a member? You are invited as well! If you have interest in joining UWN you are very welcome to attend this luncheon at no cost.

Early Membership Renewal for 2013/2014: Renew your membership at the June Social Luncheon or

Doctoral oral exams for June 10-14

The graduate dean invites all graduate faculty to attend the final oral examinations for the doctoral candidates scheduled as follows:

Shane Clark, Ph.D., Computer Science. Monday, June 10, 10 a.m., 151 Computer Science Building. Dissertation: “The Security and Privacy Implications of Energy-Proportional Computing.” Kevin Fu, chr.

Ken-Hou Lin, Ph.D., Sociology. Tuesday, June 11, 12 p.m., W-32 Machmer. Dissertation: “The Rise of Finance and Growing Inequality.” Donald Tomaskovic-Devey, chr.

Justin Henningsen, Ph.D., Organismic and Evolutionary Biology.

Mellon Mutual Mentoring Grants for 2013-14 announced

Ten campus programs driven by early-career or under-represented faculty, along with 12 pre-tenure faculty members, will receive Mellon Mutual Mentoring Grants for 2013-14, the Center for Teaching & Faculty Development (CTFD) has announced.
 
The award-winning Mutual Mentoring Initiative is funded by a three-year grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

Du Bois Library falcon chicks banded

The three chicks hatched by the mating pair of adult peregrine falcons nesting atop the W.E.B. Du Bois Library were banded May 29, allowing wildlife officials and researchers their first opportunity to study the tiny birds and the nesting box they currently call home.
 
Two males and one female were banded by officials from the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife. Since the first nest box was installed on the roof of the 28-story library, 30 chicks have hatched and flown from the site.
 
Examination of the prey remains from the nest revealed that the falcons have been feeding on

Detective Lieutenant Ian Cyr named UMPD deputy chief of operations

Ian Cyr, detective lieutenant in the University of Massachusetts Amherst Police Department (UMPD), has been chosen to be the department’s deputy chief of operations, Chief John Horvath has announced.
 
“Lieutenant Cyr participated in an extensive search process that included numerous interviews with members of the campus community, as well as outside law enforcement professionals,” said Horvath. “He possesses a unique combination of education, training, and experience that will afford him the opportunity to succeed as the department’s deputy chief of operations.

EH&S wins Excellence in Safety Award

The Environmental Health and Safety department has received the Excellence in Safety Award from the Safety Council of Western New England.  The award was presented recently at the organization’s 96th annual awards banquet held at Chez Josef in Agawam.
 
The Excellence in Safety Award represents the highest level of recognition for safety performance. While all member sites, teams and individuals are eligible for consideration, the award is intended to recognize those who have demonstrated true and sustainable safety excellence.

Civil and Environmental Engineering student wins Fulbright to study rail transportation in Spain

Radhameris A. Gómez, a doctoral candidate in Civil and Environmental Engineering, has been awarded a Fulbright grant to study transportation engineering in Madrid, Spain during 2013-14. 
 
In Spain, her Fulbright sponsor is a former member of the engineering faculty at the Universidad de Castile-La Mancha as well as a former high-ranking government transportation official. Her sponsor completed his master’s in engineering at MIT, so he has a good understanding of rail transportation issues in the United States, which is her interest.
 
While learning from her Fulbright sponsor, Gómez will

UMass funding decision headed to conference committee

The Massachusetts Senate passed a $34 billion dollar state budget on May 23 that earmarks $454.8 million for the five-campus UMass system, $23 million less than the budget proposals presented by Gov. Deval Patrick and approved by the State House of Representatives and advocated by UMass President Robert Caret.
 
A six-member conference committee of state representatives and senators will now work to negotiate a compromise spending bill that must be approved by both chambers of the Legislature before being sent to Patrick for his signature prior to the start of the state budget year on July 1.

News Office wins Telly Award for iCons video

Elizabeth Wilda, video producer for the Office of News and Media Relations, has been awarded a 2013 Telly Award for her video “The iCons Experience at UMass Amherst.” 
 
She submitted the video to the Telly Award committee for review in April and was notified in mid-May that her work had received a Bronze Award in the Film/Video category of Non-Broadcast Education Production.
 
iCons, an 18-credit academic program directed by chemistry professor Scott Auerbach and offered by the College of Natural Sciences, provides integrative science education in renewable energy and biomedicine.

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