News

Do you have an idea or innovation you’d like to develop for the marketplace? Are you looking for research and development funds? Learn whether your idea might qualify for a federal grant program in this free workshop.

The VT EPSCoR Center for Workforce Development and Diversity (CWDD) works to cultivate and prepare a diverse science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) workforce in Vermont by inspiring students to enter STEM careers. As part of our work we are pleased to award $5,000 scholarships to Native American (including Abenaki) and First Generation college students who enter STEM majors at a Vermont college or university. Scholarships are awarded on the basis of academic standing, letters of recommendation, and an essay detailing career goals.

When Good Compost Goes Big
UVM News
Doctoral student Paliza Shrestha and professor of plant and soil science Stephanie Hurley examine compost samples they're studying to help make sure that Vermont's new universal recycling law leads to greener gardens, not increased algae pollution in ...

This talk describes a new approach, using ``Random Chemistry'' sampling, to efficiently estimate the risk of large cascading blackouts triggered by multiple contingencies. On a model of the Polish electrical grid, the new approach finds the expected value of large-blackout sizes (a measure of risk) two orders of magnitude faster than Monte Carlo sampling, without introducing measurable bias. We also derive a method to compute the sensitivity of blackout risk to individual component-failure probabilities, allowing one to quickly identify low-cost strategies for reducing risk. For example, we show how a 1.9% increase in operational costs reduced the overall risk of cascading failure in a 2383-bus test case by 61%. An examination of how risk changes with load yielded a surprising decrease in cascading failure risk at the highest loadings, due to increased locality in generation and less long-distance transmission. Finally, we propose new visualizations of spatio-temporal patterns in cascading failure risk that could provide valuable guidance to system planners and operators.

A National Science Foundation (NSF) Research Infrastructure Improvement (RII) Track-2 project is collecting real-time data to better preserve and protect Rhode Island’s water sources.

The project is funded by a three-year, $6 million grant awarded to NSF Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) jurisdictions Rhode Island, Delaware and Vermont.

Burlington, VT – William Wallace, executive director of US Ignite, today announced that the City of Burlington has been named a US Ignite partner. Mayor Miro Weinberger announced that Burlington has branded its local Ignite initiative “BTV IGNITE: New England’s Gigabit City” and launched a new website, as well as introduced his BTV IGNITE Advisory Group. Further, Weinberger encouraged the public to attend and participate in the upcoming 7th Annual Vermont Tech Jam, scheduled for this Friday and Saturday at Memorial Auditorium.

At a news conference in the Dealer.com rooftop solarium, Wallace stated the following about the City of Burlington’s qualifications for this designation: “US Ignite is pleased to welcome Burlington as its newest partner community. A number of important assets make Burlington uniquely situated to take advantage of this pivotal time in next-generation networks: capacity for City-wide gigabit access; density of research and education networks; vibrant tech business culture; core capabilities in key research areas; and a community with an intense entrepreneurial mindset and an enviable quality of life.”

Dr. Patrick Clemins, VT EPSCoR Cyber Specialist, will appear on Channel CCTV, Wednesday, October 22, 2014 at 5:25 p.m. during the show "Live at 5:25." Dr. Clemins is an invited panelist for a session titled "BTV Ignite Showcase", scheduled for Saturday, October 25 at 1 p.m., as part of VT TechJam. The panel will discuss the progress made in the first year of BTV Ignite and plans for the future.

Dr. Andrew Schroth, UVM Department of Geology, was an invited speaker for an inaugural workshop held in Xiamen, China on October 12-17, 2014 on "The First International Workshop on Urbanization in Watersheds: Ecological and Environmental Responses". Dr.Schroth was invited by one of the key organizers, Dr. Art Gold, Professor of Watershed Hydrology, at the University of Rhode Island. Dr. Schroth is a Co-PI (VT) for the Northeast Water Resources Network (NEWRnet) award from the National Science Foundation, which is a consortium of 3 states - VT, RI and DE. Dr. Gold is PI for the RI NEWRnet team. The North East Water Resources network (NEWRnet) is a next generation monitoring initiative that integrates economic behavior and policy to support sustainable communities in a productive landscape.

The NASA EPSCoR Program at NASA Headquarters indicated this past week that that an announcement of a new FY 2015 National NASA EPSCoR Research Group Competition is anticipated by the end of 2014. Under this time frame, the expected proposal due date would be in period of January - March 2015; past history has indicated a more likely due date more towards March. A minimum of 60 days is guaranteed between the time of the announcement and the proposal due date. It is once again unclear whether Vermont's NASA EPSCoR Project will be allowed to submit one or two proposals to the FY15 competition (only one submission was permitted for FY14). Investigators with NASA-relevant projects not previously involved with external NASA EPSCoR funding are particularly encouraged to apply.

Thornton Ritz graduate of the Rubenstein School of Environment & Natural Resources explains why he chose basic research. Thornton, received a Bachelor of Science degree in Wildlife & Fisheries Biology within the Rubenstein School of Environment & Natural Resources on May 18, 2014 at the University of Vermont.

Rhode Island’s Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) conducts groundbreaking research and develops academic talent in the science and technology fields to increase competitiveness in research and development, build a more capable workforce and fuel economic growth in the Ocean State.

Funded by the National Science Foundation, Rhode Island NSF EPSCoR brings together nine of the state’s public and private institutions of higher education in pursuit of a strong and sustainable marine ecosystem that serves as a foundation for Rhode Island’s economy and quality of life.

This collaborative approach creates more productive partnerships across multiple disciplines, from science to art, and draws on the strength of the state’s collective diversity.

Vermont EPSCoR RACC graduate students Peter Isles and Trevor Gearhart took a field trip to Shelburn Pond with science students from Winooski High School. The 9 students learned about UVM research with algae blooms at Shelburne Pond.

Prof Tara Kulkarni discusses research on rainwater collection that could diminish runoff and be used for drinking water

The Vermont Academy of Science and Engineering (VASE) at the University of Vermont recognizes the critical importance to Vermont and the nation of educating the next generation of scientists and engineers. This responsibility is carried out by the dedicated educators in the Vermont K-12 school systems. Each year VASE honors an outstanding educator at the primary school level and one from secondary school community with the "Teacher of the Year" award.
CWDD high school teacher, Dana Maria Dezotell from Missisquoi Valley Union High School was presented with the Vermont’s Outstanding Science Teachers of the Year award for 2014!

Alumni Association Honors Outstanding Graduates, Faculty, Foundation ...
UVM News
The University of Vermont Alumni Association and UVM Foundation honored outstanding graduates, faculty, and Vermont philanthropist Lois McClure at its annual Reunion & Homecoming weekend celebration on Oct. 10. The “Celebration of Excellence” ...

The first RACC seminar of the semester was held on Monday, October 13th at 23 Mansfield Ave. Our guest speaker was Dr. Ilan Kelman, University College London. His talked was titled: "Resilience and Climate Change".

Are you interested in creating videos to connect the public with your research? If so, you're in luck. SciFund Challenge is organizing a video training class for scientists that will be running for six weeks, from November to middle December. The class is free and is intended for scientists that are new to outreach, but would like to get started with it. The class is open to scientists at any level, in any discipline. The class will be conducted over the Internet, so all countries are welcome. The deadline to fill out the short application form is October 31.

Leahy, VCET, UVM and FairPoint to officially open new Technology Hub
vtdigger.org
1:30 p.m. – Senator Leahy, the Vermont Center for Emerging Technologies (VCET), the University of Vermont and FairPoint officially open the new technology hub called VCET@BTV. VCET@BTV is a co-working space coupled with business monitoring, ...

CWDD High School Student participant Nora Enright was named as a semi-finalist in a prestigious academic scholarship program that weighs test scores, school academic record and participation in school and community activities, among other factors. Students who made the cut are now eligible to be considered in subsequent rounds and in the spring could be named National Merit Scholars.

Seven Days
What's the Orange Ooze in Leddy Park?
Seven Days
Rather, the sheen is a trick of the light, according to Breck Bowden, professor of watershed science and planning at the University of Vermont's Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources. A simplified explanation is that light refracts off ...