University of Southern Maine > News

Professor Tom Knight

Sat, 02 Feb 2013 21:00:17 +0000

Dr. Tom Knight, Associate Professor of Biology, died unexpectedly on 27 January 2013. A plant physiologist who also taught courses in cell and molecular biology as well as introductory biology, Dr. Knight impacted many students during his 23 years on the USM faculty. A celebration of Tom's life will be held on Monday, 11 February 2013, 4-6 PM in the University Events Room on the 7th floor of Glickman Library on the Portland campus. Students, faculty, and the entire USM community are invited to attend.

Knight1 (small).jpg

Department of Biological Sciences

Community News & Updates February, 2013

Fri, 01 Feb 2013 18:34:11 +0000

ALUMNI NEWS

Cal Armistead‘s (Fiction, W’07) debut young adult novel, Being Henry David, will be released by Albert Whitman & Co. on March 1, 2013. Cal’s novel has already received a starred Kirkus review! For more, see www.calarmistead.com.

Eric’s Hysterics is proud to present Love Hurts, an anthology edited by Eric M. Bosarge (Popular Fiction, W’12) that includes 21 humorous stories about falling in love, falling out, and everything in between. Featuring Stonecoast alumni Payne Ratner and faculty member Mike Kimball, the collection is sure to delight. The anthology will be available February 7th. For more information, visit the website.

Publication Announcements and Updates from alumni and students, and a call for submissions from the Northern Writes Festival. Click the link to read full details.

peacepeople.jpg

Stonecoast MFA in Creative Writing

UROP Call for Proposals

Fri, 01 Feb 2013 13:54:47 +0000

The Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) at USM enables undergraduate students to participate in research and creative activities. In cooperation with the academic departments at USM, the program recruits eligible students as USM Student Research Associates. Students learn how to collaborate effectively in research settings while investigating areas of research interest within a specific discipline and gaining practical skills and knowledge for both graduate study and post-graduation careers. They become fully integrated in USM’s research community, interacting with faculty mentors and fellow undergraduates while participating in research seminars and other networking events. Most importantly, students become involved in exciting research and contribute to the advancement of scholarship in an area of interest. The culminating experience for the UROP participants is the annual Thinking Matters symposium, held in April. The event is the formal avenue in which the UROP Research Associates present their work to the University community, their family and friends, and provides an opportunity for these students to demonstrate their impressive achievements in the UROP Program.

This year, submitted proposals may qualify for a NASA/MSGC (Maine Space Grant Scholarship and Fellowship Program). USM, as a member of the Maine Space Grant Consortium, may award up to $2000 in grant money plus $500 towards travel. In order to be considered for this grant, research would need to be around NASA’s four broad mission areas: aeronautics, exploration systems, science, and space operations. Visit www.msgc.org for more information. Expectations also include working with a USM faculty mentor, presenting at Thinking Matters, and providing a final report. In addition, students would need to identify a potential NASA research collaborator as part of the application process.

The Office of Research Development and Administration announces the call for applicants for the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP). It is open to all current USM sophomores and juniors with a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or above; senior-level students may apply as long as the student is not graduating before completing the full academic year in UROP. Application deadline is March 15, 2013.

Research Administration and Development

Freshen Up - It's never too late to clean out your heart!

Fri, 01 Feb 2013 04:59:00 +0000

February is American Heart Month - celebrate with us all and add years to your life by quitting once and for all. Freshen up, get ready for spring, clean out your heart and your environment!

Here is a very informative article by NPR on women and tobacco use. It gets to the nitty gritty & the positive reasons to quit. Research deepens on the significance of women & their relationship to tobacco.

USM offers a list of resources to help with changing your tobacco consumption, including our University health plan benefits through Cigna's Health Insurance.

February is American Heart Month. An article looking at tobacco, women's use and how you can quit.

be min be smoke free.jpg

Healthy USM

4 Simple Ways to Pamper Your Heart

Fri, 01 Feb 2013 04:59:00 +0000

Our body's natural response to stress is primal and designed for life & death situations. Today's world is full of stressors, as we all well know: traffic, obligations, children and work. The cascade of hormones that result from our reactions to stress tax our body systems. Take adrenaline for example - when released it increases your heart rate and elevates your blood pressure.

So here are some simple practices from the American Heart Association website to calm our hearts and minds. Best of all, some of these don't need to take time out of the day; try them while you commute, while in bed or during a walk.

1) Practice positive self-talk every day — in the car, at your desk, before you go to bed or whenever you notice negative thoughts

2) Slow down: count to 10 before you speak. Practice deep breathing. Break big tasks into smaller parts. Drive in the slow lane!

3) Find pleasure in the small things: art projects, listening to music, smell the rose, go for a stroll after dinner!

4) Daily relaxation: practice deep breathing and meditation (try it before bed)

Take a bite out of stress in your life

apple heart.jpg

Healthy USM

Register Today for a GMAT Review Course!

Thu, 31 Jan 2013 18:43:57 +0000

Want help preparing for the GMAT exam? Then sign up for the School of Business' GMAT Review Course.

The course offers lessons on test-taking strategies and content of the GMAT exam, including information on the new Integrative Reasoning section. Taught by instructor Christopher Dyer, MBA, the course consists of four 3-hour meetings held Thursday evenings in February and March.

Attendees must register in advance with Donna Bell (207-780-4022; dbell@usm.maine.edu). Space is limited, so sign-up today.

February 28, March 7, 14, and 21
6:00 PM - 9:00 PM
206 Payson Smith Hall
registration deadline: February 21, 2013

Cost*
$225.00 - regular rate
$200.00 - discount rate for USM School of Business students and alumni.
*All materials and books are included in this cost.

Payment methods
Credit card (Visa or Mastercard)
Check (made payable to USM School of Business)

Can't attend either session but are interested in upcoming sessions? Email Donna Bell to be added to an email distribution list for GMAT Review Course updates.

GMAT Review Courses, offered Thursday evenings in February and March, will cover GMAT test-taking strategies as well as the content material of the exam. Space is limited and going fast, so sign up today.

School of Business

Join Move and Improve 2013!

Thu, 31 Jan 2013 15:02:00 +0000

It is that time of year again...time to move & improve!

Registration is now open!

Click here to get started. If you participated last year, enter your login info. (Don't worry, there is a button to click if you forgot!) If you are new to the program, welcome! Click the "register" button instead of the "login" button.

IMPORTANT: When you register, select "University of Southern Maine" as your site. This will let you be part of our Move & Improve team on campus, and make you eligible for weekly prizes from Healthy USM!

How it works:

1. Register online at Healthy USM www.usm.maine.edu/wellness

2. Be physically active for 8-12 weeks.

3. Track your weekly progress in the online log and you will be eligible for Healthy USM's weekly raffle!

4. Those who complete the program will be eligible for Move and Improve's final raffle on June 5.

5. Enjoy your improved level of health!

It is that time of year again...time to move & improve! Free registration is now open!

move and improve logo 1.png

Healthy USM

Confrontation and Cross-Fertilization Among Medieval Cultures

Thu, 31 Jan 2013 14:28:38 +0000

Honors 102 class, Confrontation and Cross-Fertilization Among Medieval Cultures, explores the intersections between Judaic, Christian, Muslim and non-monotheistic relgious-based cultures during the Middle Ages.

Wednesday, January 30th, the class visited Temple Beth El in Portland for a tour and history by Rabbi Carolyn Braun.

Honors 102 class, Confrontation and Cross-Fertilization Among Medieval Cultures, explores the intersections between Judaic, Christian, Muslim and non-monotheistic relgious-based cultures during the Middle Ages. Wednesday, January 30th, the class visited Temple Beth El in Portland for a tour and history by Rabbi Carolyn Braun.

Stained glass-Temple Beth El.jpg

Honors Program

WAGE Project Workshop with Ms. Annie Houle

Wed, 30 Jan 2013 21:30:39 +0000

Tuesday, February 5, 2013
WAGE Project Workshop
lead by Ms. Annie Houle, national director of the
WAGE Project.

Time: 4:15 pm
Location: Wishcamper Center, Room 102
USM Portland Campus

FREE for all students Registration recommended (Registration deadline is Monday, February 1, 2013. Max. capacity = 45.)

To register, contact:
Gabe Demaine, gdemaine@usm.maine.edu

To learn more about this workshop, please visit the following URL address: http://tinyurl.com/afpxcol

WAGE Project Workshop with Ms. Annie Houle. Women CAN learn how to negotiate pay equity. Find out how during this workshop on Tuesday, February 5, 2013.

ECO108_dollar_bill_photo.jpg

Department of Economics

Faculty Senate Research Grant Submission Deadline Extended

Wed, 30 Jan 2013 19:58:21 +0000

The purpose of the Faculty Senate Grants program is to encourage and facilitate research and other scholarly and creative activities by tenured and tenure-track faculty. Funding comes from the Office of the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, and is awarded through a competitive proposal process, in the form of small grants. A sub-committee of the Research Council representing various disciplines screens proposals and decides on awards. The Associate Vice President for Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activity facilitates the committee’s work.

Deadline for submission of proposals has been extended to Thursday, February 7, 2013. For information on guideslines and application process, please visit the Faculty Senate Research Grant website.

Due to confusion regarding eligibility for Faculty Senate Research Grants, the deadline for grant submissions has been extended to Thursday, February 7, 2013. Tenure and tenure track faculty from all disciplines are encouraged to apply.

Research Administration and Development