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New Research from UMass Amherst Sociologists Dispels Myths about Academic Parental Leave

AMHERST, Mass. – New research from sociologists at the University of Massachusetts Amherst counters misconceptions surrounding the use of paid parental leave on university campuses.
 
In a study published in the January 2013 issue of the journal Fathering, UMass Amherst associate professor Jennifer Lundquist (left) and professor Joya Misra, along with KerryAnn O’Meara of the University of Maryland, examined assumptions that men take unfair advantage of parental leave at universities, using the leave as an opportunity to further their research while shirking the responsibility of childcare.

UMass Amherst Chemical Engineer Receives NSF CAREER Grant to Study Advanced Process for Biofuel Production

AMHERST, Mass. – Paul J. Dauenhauer, a chemical engineer at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, has received a five-year, $400,000 grant from the National Science Foundation’s CAREER program to conduct basic research on the chemical reactions that create biofuel from organic matter such as wood.
 
The funding will allow Dauenhauer and his research team to study in great detail the complex chemical reactions that take place when an ultra-thin sheet of cellulose is quickly heated to 500 degrees Celsius inside a biofuel reactor.

U.S. News Ranks UMass Amherst Among Top Online Graduate Programs in Nursing, Business and Education

AMHERST, Mass. – Online graduate programs in nursing and business administration at the University of Massachusetts Amherst have been ranked among the top 25 in the country by U.S. News & World Report.
 
UMass Amherst’s online master’s in nursing program is ranked 12th nationally, while the online MBA program offered by the Isenberg School of Management is 22nd. The School of Education's online master's in education was 59th on the list.
 
According to U.S. News, the nursing program rankings are based on information obtained from 101 schools with online programs.

Cundill Prize-Winning Historian Stephen Platt to Discuss Taiping Civil War at UMass Amherst

AMHERST, Mass – University of Massachusetts historian Stephen R. Platt will offer rare glimpse into the Taiping Civil War on Thursday, Jan. 24 as part of a celebration of his book “Autumn in the Heavenly Kingdom: China, the West and the Epic Story of the Taiping Civil War,” which won McGill University’s 2012 Cundill Prize – called the world’s richest and most prestigious award for historical literature.
 
Platt’s talk, titled “Into the Storm: Some Windows into a Chinese Civil War,” begins at 4 p.m. in UMass Amherst’s Cape Cod Lounge. A reception will follow.
 
Published earlier this year by

Tim Anderson Named Dean of UMass Amherst’s College of Engineering

AMHERST, Mass. – Tim Anderson, Distinguished Professor of Chemical Engineering at the University of Florida, has been named dean of the College of Engineering at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. His appointment is effective March 1.
 
UMass Amherst Provost James V. Staros, who made the announcement, said, “I am delighted to welcome Professor Anderson to our campus. An elected fellow of both the American Institute of Chemical Engineers and the American Society of Engineering Education, he is an international leader in both engineering research and education.”
 
A member of the

UMass Amherst School of Education Faculty Honored for Public Dialogue by American Enterprise Institute

AMHERST, Mass. – The American Enterprise Institute’s Frederick M. Hess has recognized two scholars from the School of Education at the University of Massachusetts Amherst for contributions to the national public dialogue on education policy.
 
Professor emerita Sonia Nieto of the department of teacher education and curriculum studies and associate professor Kathryn A.

UMass Amherst, WMECo Partner to Reduce Campus Energy Costs and Greenhouse Gas Emissions

AMHERST, Mass. – In partnership with Western Massachusetts Electric Company (WMECo), the University of Massachusetts Amherst recently completed an energy efficiency project expected to save the campus more than $220,000 in energy costs per year and reduce annual carbon dioxide emissions by 1,000 metric tons in 2013 and beyond.
 
To achieve this, WMECo and campus Physical Plant staff use a technique called “continuous commissioning” to identify low-cost operational and maintenance improvements in buildings where the original operating parameters may have changed or slipped over the years.

Amilcar Shabazz Named Faculty Advisor to UMass Amherst Chancellor for Diversity and Excellence

AMHERST, Mass. – University of Massachusetts Amherst Chancellor Kumble Subbaswamy has appointed Amilcar Shabazz, professor of Afro-American studies, to serve as his faculty advisor for diversity and excellence.
 
“Professor Shabazz has written and consulted extensively on issues of race and diversity,” said Subbaswamy. “We will benefit greatly from his scholarship and leadership experience on this campus and in his previous appointments, and I look forward to having his invaluable perspective on our work in this critical area.”
 
In his new role, Shabazz will serve on the Campus Leadership

Super-Adhesive Geckskin Developed by UMass Amherst Scientists Among CNN Money's Top Science Breakthroughs of 2012

AMHERST, Mass. – Geckskin, a super-strong adhesive device developed by University of Massachusetts Amherst researchers that can hold 700 pounds on a smooth wall, has been named one of the top five science breakthroughs of 2012 by CNN Money.
 
Inspired by the footpads of geckos, Geckskin was created by Michael Bartlett, a doctoral candidate in polymer science and engineering, polymer scientist Alfred Crosby and biologist Duncan Irschick, who has studied the gecko’s climbing and clinging abilities for more than 20 years. The researchers published their findings in the journal Advanced Materials

UMass Amherst Receives State Grant Funding to Expand Civic Engagement and Service-Learning Course Offerings

AMHERST, Mass. – The University of Massachusetts Amherst has been awarded a one-year, $112,501 grant from the state Department of Higher Education’s Vision Project to fund the design and teaching of service-learning courses. The new money will support faculty members to develop new courses or to adapt existing courses by adding a service-learning component.
 
Funding is now available for UMass Amherst faculty members interested in participating in the program either as individuals or as part of a teaching team.

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