What Lies Beneath
In April 1851, the Minot Light, a lighthouse on the outermost ledge of the deadly Cohasset Rocks, capsized into the ocean during a storm. The remains of the historic structure, one of only two known lighthouse wrecks on the East Coast, are presumed to be on the ocean floor 30 feet below the surface. Recently the Coast Guard launched an expedition to explore the remains with the help of underwater archeologists from UMass Amherst. Minot Light has long been a source of fascination to historians and lighthouse enthusiasts, in part because its spiderlike design (many-legged, waves would theoretically pass harmlessly through the structure) was discontinued after the accident.
That’s Sir James Cathey
Cathey, professor and chair of German and Scandinavian Studies, was recognized for his contribution to the language and culture of Finland with the award, Order of the White Rose, from the Finnish government. “I think it’s a longevity award. I’ve been teaching Finnish for 30 years,” said Cathey.
And the Prize Goes to
Winners of the 2007 Technology Innovation Challenge have developed ground sensors to provide levees and similar structures with early failure-warning systems. Condition Engineering, a team made up of engineering doctoral student Alaina Hanlon, alumnus Rick Bradshaw ’04, and faculty advisor Robert Hyers, received $20,000 in cash and will be given an additional $25,000 in stages as their business plan evolves into a commercial venture.
Anti-War Antelope
Malik Marjan, a Sudanese graduate student, joined other conservationists in an aerial survey of Boma National Park in southern Sudan to discover large herds of migrating antelope that have been unaffected by 25 years of civil war. The large herds reportedly rival those found on the Serengeti plains of East Africa.
Tapping the Underprivileged
“Expanding the Engineering Pipeline by Recruiting, Mentoring, and Graduating Transfer Students” is the title of UMass Amherst’s campaign initiative funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF). The $600,000 grant will target financially strapped students from academic institutions surrounding UMass Amherst, such as Holyoke Community College, Greenfield Community College, and Springfield Community College, who transfer to the College of Engineering. The funding, awarded through the NSF’s Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (S-STEM) program, will be applied over a five-year period. The first year of the grant money will be used for planning and recruitment. Students pursuing engineering majors including chemical, civil, computer systems, electrical, industrial, and mechanical engineering will be eligible.
Support Faculty
Underrepresented faculty at UMass Amherst find success through a pilot mentoring program. As a result, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation of New York has generously awarded the campus a three-year, $400,000 grant to strengthen the professional support of networks across the institution and Five College Consortium. Faculty studies indicate there are significant hurdles that new faculty members encounter, including acclimating themselves to a new community, finding collegiality, and learning how to balance their professional with family lives. During these difficult transitions, new faculty must also learn to manage what is expected of their performance, with the tenure process looming overhead. Charlena Seymour, provost and senior vice chancellor for academic affairs, says: “How grateful we are to the Mellon Foundation for working with us over the past two years to craft an initiative that truly respects and supports the power of faculty-driven, context-sensitive mentoring.”
Up in Smoke
The microbiology course “Biology of Cancer and AIDS” is causing students to quit smoking, according to polls. The course covers the history of smoking, statistics on tobacco use, and the links between smoking and cancer, among other topics. Twenty-seven of 47 smokers in the class surveyed had quit smoking and eight students were in the process of quitting.
The Bucks Stop for Sudan
The Investment Committee of the University of Massachusetts Foundation has withdrawn more than $530,000 of its funds from investment in companies doing business with the government of Sudan that are not engaged in humanitarian activities in that nation. Sudan’s four-year war has taken the lives of more than 200,000 people, as well as displaced more than 2.5 million.
A Layup
Stephane Lasme ’07, the 2007 Honorable Mention All-American and Atlantic 10 Player of the Year, was selected by the Golden State Warriors in the second round of the 2007 NBA draft as the 46th overall selection. Lasme is the 15th alum to be picked in the draft.
Happy Valley, Sustainable Valley
UMass Amherst and the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission (PVPC) have received a $300,000 grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to incorporate science into regional planning to enhance sustainability. The three-year project will provide communities and residents of the Pioneer Valley with information that will help them use natural resources like energy and water in a
manner that’s mindful of the environment and supports the economy. For more information, visit www.pvsustain.com.
Architecture Within Reach
UMass Amherst is the first public institution in New England to offer a professional architecture degree. The program recently received accreditation by the National Architecture Accreditation Board (NAAB). The master’s degree in architecture will be featured in the architecture and design program in the Department of Art. According to program director Stephen Schreiber, the master’s degree in architecture will be available in two- and three-year tracks. Undergraduate preprofessional degrees in design and a postprofessional master’s of science will be offered as well. Joel Martin, dean of the College of Humanities and Fine Arts, says “UMass Amherst is now well positioned not only as a training ground for the architects of tomorrow but as a generator of innovative architectural design and research. Western Massachusetts, indeed all of New England, will be a huge beneficiary.”
