News

Computer scientists, biostatistician share in system technology grants

Faculty members from the College of Natural Sciences and the School of Public Health and Health Sciences are among the recipients of nearly $750,000 in grants from the President’s Science and Technology Initiatives Fund announced June 18 by President Robert L. Caret.

Computer scientists Yanlei Diao, Preshant Shenoy and Deepak Ganesan were awarded a total of $321,250 and biostatistician Andrea Foulkes received $97,500 through the fund, which provides seed grants to accelerate research activity across all five campuses and position researchers to attract larger investments from external sources

Obituary: Helen Rogerleski, retired dietary worker

Helen S. (Kuminski) Rogerleski, 88, of Northampton, a retired dietary worker at Franklin Dining Commons, died June 12 at Cooley Dickinson Hospital.

Born in Turners Falls, she lived most of her life in South Deerfield.

She retired from campus in 1989 after 13 years of service.

She leaves her daughter, Joanne Trybus of South Hadley; and her sister, Dorothy O'Connor of Chelsea, three grandchildren and a great-granddaughter.

Memorial donations may be made to the Center for Extended Care Activity Fund, 150 University Dr., Amherst 01002.

Obituary: John Markum, retired technical assistant in Veterinary and Animal Sciences

John M. Markum, 95, of Belchertown, a retired technical assistant in Veterinary and Animal Sciences, died June 7 at home.

Born in Venus, Lithuania, he and his family left Lithuania when he was 13, relocating to Barre. He then moved to Athol for many years, before moving to Belchertown in 1963.

He was hired as a farmhand for the Experiment Station in 1962 and was later promoted to technical assistant in Veterinary and Animal Sciences. He retired in 1980.

He leaves a son, Richard Markum of Whiteford, Md., and a daughter, Pauline Reid of Lenox, four grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.

Computer researchers help lay groundwork for White House 'US Ignite' initiative

Senior officials from the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, the National Science Foundation (NSF) and non-government partners announced June 14 the launch of US Ignite, a national “innovation ecosystem” for developing and deploying public sector applications and services on ultra-fast, software-defined networks to enhance the next generation of the Internet.
 
UMass Amherst scientists are among those from nearly two dozen institutions tapped by NSF to take part.

Obituary: Alexander Chajes, professor emeritus of Civil Engineering

Alexander Chajes, 81, professor emeritus of Civil and Environmental Engineering, died June 13.

Born in Vienna, Austria, he was the only child of Johanna and Meier Chajes. When World War II broke out, his parents sought passage to the U.S. In 1940, after two years of trying, his family was fortunate to obtain a visa. 

Because of the war to the west, they traveled east from Vienna with a group of about a dozen Viennese Jews. The two-month trip took them from Vienna to Berlin, then to Moscow and on to Manchuria, China, via the Trans-Siberian Railway.

Muscle Physiology Lab seeks women for study

The Kinesiology Department’s Muscle Physiology Laboratory is seeking women to participate in a study using state-of-the-art techniques to assess how aging affects the muscle and nervous systems and the effects of those changes on muscle function.
 
To be eligible, women should be non-smokers, ages 30-40 or 65-85, who are not involved in an exercise training program.
 
The study requires four visits, one of which must be on a weekend.
 
Volunteers will be compensated $100 for their time.
 
If interested, contact Terri at 545-5305 or visit http://people.umass.edu/muscle/

Biochemists ID crucial recognition tag in cellular 'garbage disposal'

Cells must routinely dispose of leftover or waste proteins by breaking them down, but the problem for biochemists studying this fundamental process is that molecules can be toxic garbage in one situation but essential for function in another, says Peter Chien, assistant professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.
 
Figuring out how bacteria and other cells accurately distinguish waste from useful molecules has been elusive, but his laboratory’s recent progress could offer medical researchers a clue for controlling disease, such as bacterial infections and cancer cell growth.

$1.2M US grant to support Upward Bound program with Springfield schools

The campus was recently awarded a five-year, nearly $1.25 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education to reestablish an Upward Bound program in partnership with two high schools in Springfield.
 
High Schol of CommerceUpward Bound is a year-round, multi-year program for high school students who have the potential to succeed in college and could benefit from tutoring, academic enrichment, pre-college skills development, career counseling, college visits, cultural enrichment and academic and social support.

Frances Moore Lappé to speak at permaculture conference

Internationally acclaimed author and food policy reformer Frances Moore Lappé, best known for her 1970s book, “Diet for a Small Planet,” will be the kickoff speaker on Wednesday, June 20 at 6 p.m. for the “Permaculture Your Campus” conference.
 
Her talk, which is open to the public, will be on the 11th floor of the Campus Center. It is free for conference attendees, with a suggested donation of $5-20 at the door for others. Donations will go towards scholarships for the conference.
  
Lappé will discuss her new book, “EcoMind,” and how to “change the way we think to create the world we

Sunwheel and sky-watching events mark summer solstice on June 20

The public is invited to join Astronomy professors Judith Young and Steve Schneider to witness sunrise and sunset associated with the summer solstice among the standing stones of the campus Sunwheel on Wednesday, June 20 at 5 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. Rain cancels the events. 
 
These Sunwheel events mark the astronomical change of season in the northern hemisphere when days are longest and nights are shortest.
 
At these hour-long gatherings, there will be a talk on the astronomical cause of the sun’s solstice or standstill.

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