STEM Diversity Institute receives $1.6m NIH award to support graduate students in biomedical research

A newly formed institute that serves as a campus-wide umbrella to coordinate campus diversity initiatives in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) has received a four-year, $1.6 million award from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to fund one-year internships for post-baccalaureate students from underrepresented groups interested in biomedical and biobehavioral research.
 
Sandra Petersen, director of the STEM Diversity Institute (SDI) and professor of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, is the principal investigator of the award with Lynmarie Thompson, associate

Researchers reveal mechanism of novel biological electron transfer

When researchers led by Microbiology professor Derek Lovley discovered that the bacterium Geobacter sulfurreducens conducts electricity very effectively along metallic-like “microbial nanowires,” they found physicists quite comfortable with the idea of such a novel biological electron transfer mechanism, but not biologists.
 
“For biologists, Geobacter’s behavior represents a paradigm shift. It goes against all that we are taught about biological electron transfer, which usually involves electrons hopping from one molecule to another,” Lovley says.

Sesquicentennial celebration includes Subbaswamy inaugural, Founders Day cookout

 
Planning is continuing for events scheduled for Founders Week, April 22-29, to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the founding of Massachusetts Agricultural College, according to Nancy Buffone, executive director of External Relations and University Events.
 
As the campus marks its sesquicentennial, two of the major public events will be the formal inauguration of Chancellor Kumble R. Subbaswamy on April 27 and the annual Founders Day cookout on the Goodell Lawn on April 29. 
 
“Invitations and announcements about these events will be sent to all faculty and staff, so keep an eye out for

Survey seeks campus input for updated UHS mission statement

Students, faculty and staff are being asked to help shape a new mission statement for University Health Services by participating in an upcoming survey, according to James Sheehan, vice chancellor for Administration and Finance.
 
“The current mission statement is about 20 years old and health care has changed quite a bit in that time,” said Sheehan. “We’re asking the campus community to identify what’s important to them.”
 
Sheehan said a revised mission statement will help clarify the expectations for the scope and role of UHS, but will not lead to wholesale changes at the health center.

Study questions improved memorability of symbol license plates

Results of a new study by memory experts in the Psychology Department suggest that adding symbols such as stars or circles to license plates does not make them easier for adults to remember than the traditional plate with only letters and numbers.
 
Cognitive psychologist and memory expert Caren Rotello says, “We found that whether the license plate contained a symbol or not didn’t matter when people tried to remember details. There was no overall benefit to license plates with symbols in our study.

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