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In case you have been following the ECo news using RSS, please note that the feed address has changed to: http://feeds.feedburner.com/umass-eco-news Just as a reminder: If you are not using RSS and would like to get our news via email, simply fill out this form: Enter your email address: Delivered by FeedBurner ...
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Fisheries Alumnus appointed as Assistant Director for Wildlife Research in the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife

  The Massachusetts Fisheries and Wildlife Board has appointed John A. O’Leary, A.S (SSA) ’74, B.S. ’77, M. S. ’84 Assistant Director for Wildlife Research in the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife. John has spent his entire professional career in Massachusetts and is known nationally for his work to incorporate into computer models the ability of plants and animals to adapt to climate change. After completing his graduate studies at UMass John started his career as the Leader of a federal research project on Connecticut River fish passage facilities, then subsequently served as a research biologist at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Anadromous Fish Research Lab at Turner’s Falls, state Connecticut Valley District Fish Manager, Leader of the state Anadromous Fish Restoration Project, Team Leader for the Connecticut, Westfield, and Farmington Rivers, and most recently State Wildlife Action Plan Coordinator for the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife. He lives on his family’s farm in Southampton, Mass. ...
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UMass represented at Summer International Social Science Research Meeting

Returning recently from a trip to Canada, Extension Assistant Professor Rick Harper met with researchers at Lakehead University in Thunder Bay, Ontario to discuss and help advance a social science initiative pertaining to human perceptions and attitudes toward the environment – namely, insects.  "It is fascinating to see the similarities and dissimilarities that residents in the US and residents in Canada have in relation to the way they view insects - a key part of the natural world that surrounds them.  The fact that arthropod-vectored illnesses like Lyme disease get "lumped in"as being insect-driven has been one important notable difference between focus–group participants based here in the Northeast US and those based in Canada."  According to Dr. R. Harvey Lemelin,  Lakehead University Associate Professor and Project Director, "by asking individuals from all walks of life what their assumptions and perceptions of insects are, we will be able to acquire a greater understanding of human-insect interactions, and develop appropriate public outreach strategies. As a new Extension Faculty member, Harper believes that the very nature of university-based outreach...
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College Day Cookout

College Day Cookout Friday, September 27, 2013 - 11:30am - 1:00pm Life Sciences Laboratory lawn (behind ISB) This is a rain or shine event. Please join the Dean, Associate Deans, and the College of Natural Sciences’ faculty, staff and students for the 2013 College Day Cookout. Celebrate the beginning of the academic year with grilled and local food and live music--and help to make this a zero waste event. ...
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