In response to a reader’s question about what enables trees to bend in the wind without breaking, Brian Kane, environmental conservation, says trees have evolved to manage wind loads. (Daily Hampshire Gazette 3/7/19)
News from the Media
Trees Bend in the Wind, UMass Professor Explains
March 7, 2019
Gardening and Composting Classes offered, Cape Cod Extension Participates
March 5, 2019
Backyard Horticulture is a class offered by the Cape Cod Cooperative Extension, UMass Extension and the Master Gardeners’ Association of Cape Cod, in locations in Barnstable and Harwich. It’s an eight-week program, and it’s for gardeners of all levels. (Brewster Wicked Local 3/4/19)
Waltham Nonprofits Seek Protection for UMass-owned Farmland
March 5, 2019
Nonprofit organizations operating on the grounds of a Waltham farm owned by the University of Massachusetts Amherst face eviction by year’s end because of the age and declining condition of the building housing the groups, a school spokesman said. (Globe 3/1/19)
UMass Researchers Pinpoint a Set of Enzymes Involved in Colon Cancer Growth
February 26, 2019
University of Massachusetts Amherst food science researchers have pinpointed a set of enzymes involved in tumor growth that could be targeted to prevent or treat colon cancer. “We think this is a very interesting discovery,” says Guodong Zhang, assistant professor of food science. “Our research identifies a novel therapeutic target and could help to develop novel strategies to reduce the risks of colon cancer.” (Drug Target Review 2/27/19; Medicine News Line, News Medical Life Sciences, 2/26/19; R & D magazine, News Office Release 2/25/19)
UMass Amherst Scientist Explores Role of Citrus Peel in Decreasing Gut Inflammation
February 25, 2019
UMass Amherst Professor Hang Xiao has received a $1.5 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to study how substances produced in the gut from citrus compounds are involved in decreasing inflammation in the colon. (News Medical Life Sciences, Medical Newser.com 2/23/19, News Office Release)
Senator Eric Lesser Links Tour of UMass Farm to an Economic Engine
February 16, 2019
Massachusetts Senator Eric Lesser discusses his experiences when touring the UMass Farm at Cold Spring Orchard in Belchertown. He is tackling myraid food security issues in the next legislative term including closing food deserts and expanding innovative programs. He said, "At the heart of each of these efforts is our state's own homegrown economic engine: our farms." (Republican 2/16/19)
Changing Seas: Public TV Show Features UMass Danylchuk's Research
February 13, 2019
Andrew J. Danylchuk, environmental conservation, is one of a group of experts featured in a public television show about efforts to understand several species of fish, bonefish tarpon and permit, that live in flat sections of the ocean off the coast of Florida. (Changing Seas)
Citizen ‘Beecologists’ Role in Pollinator Decline Mystery. UMass Professor Comments
February 14, 2019
"Beecology” is a smartphone app and website that collects user-submitted videos and photos of bees in the wild and identify plants that support native bees.
Bumblebee diversity is in decline in North America, said Anne Averill professor of entomology at
the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. (Gazette 2/13/19)
Agrivoltaics: Solar Panels on Farms, UMass Weighs In
February 11, 2019
The idea of producing solar energy and growing crops on the same land has been around for a while. Instead of hunkering close to the earth, they’re mounted seven feet off the ground, with ample room for farmers to grow vegetables underneath. UMass professor Stephen Herbert comments on the impact of panels on crop growth (Salon 2//9/19)
Growing the Blue Economy on Cape Ann: UMass Gloucester Marine Station Collaborates
February 4, 2019
Going beyond traditional Chamber of Commerce activities, the 900-member Cape Ann Chamber is teaming with UMass Amherst’s Gloucester Marine Station and UMass Dartmouth to grow the region’s maritime economy. (Gloucestertimes.com 1/31/19)
