Stockbridge School of Agriculture professor Baoshan Xing is being recognized as a UMass Amherst Spotlight Scholar. An expert in analyzing the chemical behaviors of soil and soil contaminants, Xing has been identified as a most highly cited researcher in the area of environmental and ecological sciences by Thomson-Reuters for the past three years. He represents one of the world’s “most influential scientific minds.” (11/8/16 UMass News Office)
News from the Media
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Xing Recognized as Spotlight Scholar
November 15, 2016 -
Make-It Springfield community space thriving, offers 25 weekly workshops
November 2, 2016Make-It Springfield was only supposed to be a temporary summer pop-up shop, but its success will keep this space open for the "foreseeable future." With 25 different workshops, Make-It Springfield allows visitors to indulge in a variety of subjects like arts and crafts, bicycle repair, make-up techniques, healthy eating habits and computer help. (11/2/16 MassLive)
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Moths causing itchy, painful rashes, UMass professor, Elkinton comments
October 22, 2016The browntail moth that is infamous for an itchy, painful rash caused by the hairs of its larvae, increased in population and territory in Maine this year. The moths remain an occasional problem on Cape Cod, but that's the only place in Massachusetts where they're a problem, said Joe Elkinton, professor of entomology at the University of Massachusetts. (Press Enterprise [Maine], 10/23/16; Berkshire Eagle, 10/22/16)
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Drought "Bad But Not Worst"
September 22, 2016UMass Amherst Geosciences Professor David Boutt quoted in Boston Globe article on current drought in Massachusetts. (Boston Globe, 9/22/16)
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Local sweet apples reported by UMass extension educator, Jon Clements
September 22, 2016Local apples are particularly sweet this year because of sunny weather and not much rain, a combination that adds up to apples concentrating their sugar more. That is the assessment of "Mr. Honeycrisp," as Jon Clements is known. (Herald 9/22/16)
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Bradley documents the risk of invasive species worldwide
September 15, 2016In the first global analysis of environmental risk from invasive alien species, researchers, including Bethany Bradley, Environmental Conservation, say one sixth of the world's lands are "highly vulnerable" to invasion, including "substantial areas in developing countries and biodiversity hotspots." The study appears in the current issue of Nature Communications.
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UMass Amherst ecologists assisted in statistical analysis of elephant data
September 15, 2016Wildlife ecologist Curt Griffin at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, with postdoctoral researcher Scott Schlossberg, are members of a research team that compiled the data for the Great Elephant Census. It confirmed massive declines in African Savannah Elephants over the last decade. (9/1/16 News Office)
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UMass researchers say weedy lawns can help pollinators
September 12, 2016A new study from urban ecologists at the University of Massachusetts suggests that when urban and suburban lawns are left untreated with herbicides, they provide a diversity of “spontaneous” flowers such as dandelions and clover that offer nectar and pollen to bees and other pollinators. (Recorder 9/7/16, News Office)
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New England apple crop smaller
September 7, 2016UMass Extension tree fruit specialist Jon Clements quoted on this year's apple crop in New England. (Tri-Valley Dispatch [Arizona], 9/7/2016)
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UMass Student Farm Awarded Commonwealth Quality Certification from State Department of Agricultural Resources
September 7, 2016The Student Farm at the University of Massachusetts Amherst has achieved Commonwealth Quality certification from the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR). (UMass News Office, 9/7/2016)
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Dairy farmers struggle with low prices, high costs
August 29, 2016Daniel Lass, University of Massachusetts resource economist, comments on low milk prices. When farmers look back at their ledgers for 2016, Lass says, “This year is going to be terrible. Horrible,” largely because of an oversupply of milk in New England as well as most places around the world. (Recorder 8/29/16)
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Drought produces region's driest summer since 1956
August 29, 2016 -
UMass Extension educates at Fall River farmer's market
August 25, 2016An educator from the UMass nutrition program is stationed at Fall River farmer’s market each week. Sue Loughlin,an educator at the UMass Extension Nutrition Education Program, offered free samples of garbanzo summer salad, recipes, and answers questions about nutrition. (Herald News 8/22/16)
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Masoud Hashemi, UMass Extension, discusses farmers' reactions to drought
August 23, 2016Masoud Hashemi, UMass Extension, offers comments in a story about how local farmers are reacting to this year’s drought. He says some are seeking information about “no-till” farming that leaves fields unplowed and has crops planted on top of leftover plant matter from previous crops. (WFCR, 8/24/16)
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Lili He, food science, featured in Chemical & Engineering News
August 23, 2016Lili He, UMass associate professor of food chemistry, is featured in the cover story of Chemical & Engineering News, which introduces this year’s “Talented 12.” The magazine highlights skilled young chemists whose mission it is to use top-notch chemistry to solve some of the world's most diabolical scientific problems. (Chemical & Engineering News, 8/22/16)
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UMass students, faculty to give tour of Agricultural Learning Center, community garden
August 15, 2016AMHERST – Students and farmers at the University of Massachusetts' Food for All Garden will give a tour and talk about the Agricultural Learning Center at a program for the community Wednesday, August 17, 2016. (masslive.com 8/15/16)
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The year there were no peaches in Massachusetts
August 8, 2016Boston Globe article sums up failure of peach crop in Massachusetts this year, with comments from UMass Extension tree fruit specialist Jon Clement and several fruit growers. Boston Globe, 8/8/16
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Katie Campbell-Nelson weighs in on severe drought on NPR
August 8, 2016Farmers in Massachusetts have been scrambling to get water to their crops. More than half the state is in severe drought. "There are farmers whose irrigation ponds are drying up. And so they have to lay a lot more irrigation pipe," says Katie Campbell-Nelson, vegetable extension educator, UMass Amherst. (npr.org 8/6/16)
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UMass Amherst Design Building to be featured as part of “Timber City" exhibit
August 8, 2016The new Design Building under construction at UMass Amherst will be featured in September as part of the “Timber City” exhibition at the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C. (Architect, 8/4/16)
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"Your Future Starts Now" program graduates eight students with UMass 4-H collaboration
August 8, 2016On Thursday, Aug. 4, the Center for Human Development in collaboration with the UMass extension of 4-H and Student Bridges, graduated all eight of the "Your Future Starts Now" participants. (Masslive.com 8/6/16)