University of Massachusetts Amherst - Office of News & Information

Thursday, July 24, 2008

 An Online Resource for Journalists
Daily News Summary

Each weekday morning, the Office of News and Information compiles a summary of news coverage about UMass Amherst and trends in higher education.
UMass Amherst

Headlines

UMass Amherst Dining Services Wins National Award for Most Creative Nutrition Promotion

July 23, 2008

AMHERST, Mass. – Dining Services at the University of Massachusetts Amherst has been awarded second place for “The Most Creative Nutrition Promotion” from the National Association of College and University Food Services. More...



UMass Amherst Students to Provide Free Statistical Consulting to Local Nonprofit Groups, Town Governments

July 21, 2008

AMHERST, Mass. – Nonprofit groups and town governments in western Massachusetts struggling to make sense of large amounts of data can now receive free statistical consulting from Statistics in the Community (STATCOM), a volunteer organization housed at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. More...



Media Advisory:
UMass Amherst To Host Preview of W.E.B. Du Bois Homesite Renovations in Great Barrington

July 21, 2008

DATE: Thursday, July 24, 2008
TIME: Starting at 10 a.m.
PLACE: Clinton African American Zion Church, 9 Elm Court, Great Barrington, Mass., and then the W.E.B. Du Bois Homesite More...



UMass Amherst Researcher Sofiya Alhassan to Study Physical Activity in Children and Adolescents

July 17, 2008

AMHERST, Mass. – A scientist at the University of Massachusetts Amherst has received federal funding to help her develop and validate new methods for processing physical activity in children age 8 through 16. More...



All Sweeteners May Not Be the Same When Managing Type 2 Diabetes and Complications, Say UMass Amherst Researchers

July 14, 2008

AMHERST, Mass. – Recent research by Kalidas Shetty of the University of Massachusetts Amherst and Lena Galvez Ranilla of the University of San Paolo, Brazil, shows that when it comes to managing Type 2 diabetes, all sweeteners may not be the same. Some sweeteners, including date sugar and less refined, dark brown sugars, showed potential for managing Type 2 diabetes and related complications − information that could help Type 2 diabetics make better dietary choices. More...



Tom Milligan Named Executive Vice Chancellor for University Relations at UMass Amherst

July 11, 2008

AMHERST, Mass. – Tom Milligan has been named executive vice chancellor for university relations at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, incoming Chancellor Robert C. Holub announced today. Milligan will direct the university’s marketing, branding and communications efforts and will play a lead role in developing a comprehensive strategy to improve the campus’ communications with alumni and its fundraising capabilities. More...



Boosting Biofuels Production with Microwaves While Slashing Costs to Be Studied At UMass Amherst

July 10, 2008

AMHERST, Mass. – A team of researchers from the University of Massachusetts Amherst has received a $440,000 grant from the National Science Foundation for research that will speed up the production of biofuels while slashing production costs. The research will focus on converting natural products, such as vegetable oil, wood and grasses, to liquid fuels. More...



UMass Amherst Center Develops Online System For U.S. Soldiers To Resolve Problems at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and Elsewhere

July 8, 2008

AMHERST, Mass. – U.S. soldiers seeking treatment at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., and in Army medical facilities worldwide, will have a new tool to help them thanks to an online system being developed at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. More...



Area Educators Attending Summer Institute for Writing Teachers at UMass Amherst

July 8, 2008

AMHERST, Mass. – Eighteen teachers from area communities are taking part in the Western Massachusetts Writing Project’s Invitational Summer Institute at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. The institute, which began its 15th year this week, runs through the end of July. More...



UMass Amherst Podcast Looks at Creation of Portable Hug Vest To Help Relieve Anxieties, Disorders

July 8, 2008

AMHERST, Mass. – The University of Massachusetts Amherst’s podcast series about the breakthrough discoveries of campus researchers focuses this month on the development of a portable hug vest—a new invention that promises to help people suffering from a wide range of problems become calmer, more focused and more grounded. More...

More News
UMass Research

New Piece of Climate Change Puzzle Found In Ancient Sedimentary Rocks by UMass Amherst Researchers

AMHERST, Mass. – University of Massachusetts Amherst researchers have added a new source of carbon dioxide to the complex climate change puzzle by showing that ancient rocks can release substantial amounts of organic matter into Earth’s rivers and oceans, and that this organic matter is easily converted by bacteria to carbon dioxide, which enters the atmosphere and contributes to climate change.

Safer Blood Transfusions, Chemotherapy, Being Developed By UMass Amherst Researchers, Health Care Professionals

AMHERST, Mass. – Computer scientists at the University of Massachusetts Amherst are working with Massachusetts healthcare professionals to analyze medical procedures, including blood transfusions and chemotherapy treatments, with the goal of improving patient safety. The team is also analyzing the flow of patients in emergency rooms to reduce waiting time.

Climate Change Could Threaten Costa Rican Cloud Forests, Other Mountain Ecosystems, Say UMass Amherst Researchers

AMHERST, Mass. – While melting Arctic sea ice and glaciers have become a symbol of climate change, new research from the University of Massachusetts Amherst indicates that highland forests in Costa Rica could also be seriously affected by future changes in climate, reducing the number of species in a region famous for its biodiversity.

Breast Cancer Researcher at Pioneer Valley Life Sciences Institute Receives $1.1 Million Grant from the National Institutes of Health

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Pioneer Valley Life Sciences Institute (PVLSI) scientist Rong Shao has received a five-year, $1.1 million grant for his breast cancer research from the National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health.

Capturing Carbon from Power Plants to Prevent Global Warming Studied By UMass Amherst Researcher

AMHERST, Mass. − It sounds easy enough − combat global warming by capturing harmful carbon dioxide emissions from power plants before they hit the atmosphere. Then store them deep beneath the Earth. But researchers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst have shown that there are major technical and social hurdles to overcome before setting policy on carbon capture and storage (CCS).

Trial Crops for Making Biofuels To Be Grown At UMass Amherst and on Pioneer Valley Farms This Summer

AMHERST, Mass. – Researchers from the University of Massachusetts Amherst are planting crops that can be used to make biofuels on land in the Pioneer Valley that is not suitable for food production. The project is a cooperative effort between UMass Amherst, UMass Extension and several state agencies, seeking to develop a sustainable fuel crop in Massachusetts.

Early Exercise Plan for Preschoolers Eyed By UMass Amherst Researcher as Way to Thwart Childhood Obesity

AMHERST, Mass. – Junk food, video games, TV − these are just a few factors causing an epidemic of obesity in preschool children, putting them at risk for developing high blood pressure, heart disease and Type 2 diabetes. Sofiya Alhassan of the University of Massachusetts Amherst is researching how to reverse this trend by introducing preschoolers in western Massachusetts to a program that makes physical activity fun.

UMass Amherst Researcher Founds First Plant Disease Clinic in Bangladesh to Help Farmers Battle Pests, Blight

AMHERST, Mass. – Farmers in Bangladesh who are battling outbreaks of leaf blight and insect pests are now getting expert help from Southeast Asia’s first plant disease clinic, co-founded by Robert Wick of the University of Massachusetts Amherst. The clinic is housed at the Bangladesh Agricultural University in Mymensingh, under the direction of co-founder M. Bahadur Meah.

More Research