University Reporter: February, 2004
Chemistry Chair Leads Research on Solar Energy, Water, and Hydrogen in Creating a New Fuel Source
It's
proof that Occam's razor still compels. Recent efforts to find alternatives
to fossil fuels seem to have been guided by the principle--named for the
fourteenth-century philosopher William of Occam--that in science the familiar
should be preferred to the unknown, the simple to the more complex. And
a research team headed by Chemistry Department chairman Stuart Licht is
continuing this trend back to basics, having demonstrated an energy-producing
technique that makes thorough use of one of nature's most plentiful resources.
Certainly, the fuel now being touted as gasoline's successor is as simple and familiar a substance as there is. The state of the art in this area of research is an energy cell that burns hydrogen, the most basic and abundant element in the universe. Problem is, thus far attempts to mass-produce hydrogen fuel have been anything but productive: Most naturally occurring hydrogen is found in chemical compounds, and isolating a pure form of the gas is both difficult and costly. What's worse, the current method of choice requires steam and natural gas, a pollutant like any other fossil fuel. read more: Chemistry
Healey Library Receives Treasured Dorchester Pottery Collection
A
treasured cache of Dorchester pottery has found a new home at the Healey
Library. Thanks to a gift from the Larsen family of Norwell, the Archives
and Special Collections Department added 723 pieces of highly prized pottery
to its growing archives of Dorchester Pottery Works materials.
"The Larsen Family Collection of Dorchester Pottery will be an important source for people interested in the history of Dorchester, collectors studying American art pottery, and researchers investigating industrial and agricultural history," notes archivist Elizabeth Mock.
Locally owned and family-run from 1885 to 1979, Dorchester Pottery Works specialized in commercial and industrial stoneware, which ranged from chicken feeders, jugs, jeweler's jars, and foot warmers, as well as, in later years, decorated tableware. Over the years, Dorchester pottery has been admired by collectors for its artistry, distinctive cobalt blue hand glazing, and traditional designs of pine cones, blueberries, scrolls, and ships.
A significant representation of the pottery is on display in the Special
Collections area on the 5th floor of the Healey Library. Archivists Elizabeth
Mock and Dale Freeman worked with the Larsen family to inventory and describe
their entire collection, creating a digital record of each piece of the
donated pottery. Plans are under way to create a web exhibit of the pottery
that can be used by researchers interested in studying the pottery.
"The Larsens, through their generosity, have added a wonderful dimension
to our current collection of the Dorchester Pottery Works records," says
Freeman.
The collection supplements the department's current archives of Dorchester Pottery Works, which was acquired in 1982. The Dorchester Pottery Works Collection, 1905 -- 1961, contains correspondence, ledgers, journals, inventories, and instruction sheets relating to the stoneware factory.
Image: Dale Freeman, archivist, displays a colonial lace cup, one of the 723 pieces of Dorchester pottery donated to the Archives and Special Collections Department of the Healey Library. (Photo by Harry Brett)
Graduate Applications on the Rise
Graduate applications are up by 23 percent in comparison to Spring 2003 enrollment figures, as more and more people are choosing UMass Boston as a place to further their educational and career goals. "This is a turnaround and a bit of a trend upward in graduate applications," says Kathy Teehan, vice chancellor for enrollment management, who cites an increase in general marketing of UMass Boston's graduate offerings in outdoor advertising, radio, and print outlets. The sluggish job market may also have inspired many to return to the classroom, either to expand skill sets or to explore different educational goals. According to the Department of Institutional Research, doctoral programs in computer sciences, environmental sciences, and nursing have seen a significant increase in graduate applications. A rise in the number of applicants has also been seen in master's offerings in business administration, computer sciences, counseling, education, English, environmental sciences, gerontology, history, nursing, and special education.
UMass Boston Signs Contract to Maintain Spectacle Island Marina
Throughout its highly colorful history, Boston Harbor's Spectacle Island has been the site of a one-time quarantine station, illicit summer resorts, a glue factory, and a dump. In June 2004, UMass Boston and its students will be on hand as Spectacle Island opens as a 105-acre public park. David MacKenzie, former vice chancellor for administration and finance, and Chris Sweeney, director of the Division of Marine Operations (DMO), signed a one-year, $50,000 contract to maintain a new marina facility located on the island, owned by the State Department of Conservation and Recreation. Combining the entrepreneurial with education, the university will offer students the opportunity to learn firsthand how to manage and work at a marina or boatyard facility. To prepare, interested students will complete an independent study, "Fundamentals in Marina Management Planning (EGS 478)," held in the spring semester. Students will then be paid a competitive salary at the marina for 12 weeks in the summer 2004.
tudents will work with DMO staff to maintain the facility, which will include up to 36 boat slips. Plans for the island--transformed by 6 million tons of Big Dig fill--includes the marina, two beaches, and five miles of walking trails and is sure to attract Bostonians looking for an island respite. The City of Boston and the State Department of Conservation and Recreation, in alliance with the Central Artery/Tunnel Project, have constructed a 7,500-square-foot visitor center, a cafe, souvenir shop, staff living areas, workspace, first-aid area, and other maintenance facilities. "It is an exciting opportunity for the university to be involved in what is essentially a brand-new island in Boston Harbor. We hope this will lead to many more links between UMass and Spectacle Island, such as field studies and classes being held in the lecture area of the visitors' center," said Sweeney. "The EGS 478 class that connects this project to our educational mission is buoyed by the fact that there is a shortage of marina workers and managers in this area. We hope that by educating our students in this field we can help place them at not only this facility but at others in the area."
he Division of Marine Operations has considerable expertise in education and marine operations. Since 1990, DMO has maintained and managed a fleet of vessels, moorings, docks, and provides other marine services while fostering educational programming on the neighboring harbor islands.