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CWDD Visits Burlington High School

Students from Burlington High School received a visit from Vermont EPSCoR research technician Janel Roberge on September 21, 2016. Ms. Roberge spoke with 15 special education students about macroinvertebrates, land use, and how those factors impact streams.

This presentation served as an introduction to concepts and techniques that were used in a field presentation five days later at Potash Brook in South Burlington. In order to allow for a hands-on experience that would provide the most effective learning possible, the students also got to pick and sort macroinvertebrates from a provided sample. The selected specimens were examined under microscopes.

Saint Michael's College Students Examine Potash Brook

A group of 24 calculus students from Saint Michael's College got a chance at some field study on September 15, 2016 when CWDD members Janel Roberge, Livia Donicova, and Mike Winslow took them to Potash Brook in South Burlington, VT to measure stream flow.

The outing provided students from Professor Craig Jensen's calculus class a chance to learn some of the scientific processes and procedures involved in stream flow measurement. This included terms like 'riffl'' and 'reach' and the difference between muddy-bottomed and rocky-bottomed streams. Additional sessions were planned for September 22 and October 7, 2016.

Vermont EPSCoR has worked with Professor Jensen's calculus classes in previous years, presenting similar field exercises. After another successful outing, there are plans to continue this outreach in the future.

Water Running Dry As Region Copes With Drought
The Vermont Standard
“Drought can become very widespread across a region or appear in very localized pockets,” said State Climatologist Lesley-Ann Dupigny-Giroux, a professor at the University of Vermont and member of the task force. “It is difficult to predict. We can be ...

This story profiles GreenScale Technologies of South Burlington. Its technology was created by co-founder and lead engineer Ryan McDevitt in partnership with his former Ph.D. advisor, Darren Hitt, a professor of Mechanical Engineering in the College of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences. GreenScale holds an option to license the technology from UVM. The company was recently honored in Washington, D.C. by the National Council of Entrepreneurial Tech Transfer as one of the nation's top 36 university-spawned start-up companies. GreenScale Technologies was also one of four winners of UVM's 2016 SPARK-VT awards.

Officials urge Vermonters to conserve water
WCAX
"Drought is one of those we call a creeping hazard, so that means it takes a while to develop and then it takes a while to sort of come back to what we would consider to be average or normal conditions," said Lesley-Ann Dupigny-Giroux, Vermont State ...

Despite Rain and Snow, Dry Conditions Continue Throughout Vermont
vtdigger.org
“Drought can become very widespread across a region or appear in very localized pockets,” said State Climatologist Lesley-Ann Dupigny-Giroux, a professor at the University of Vermont and member of the task force. “It is difficult to predict. We can be ...

Despite Rain and Snow, Dry Conditions Continue Throughout Vermont
vtdigger.org
“Drought can become very widespread across a region or appear in very localized pockets,” said State Climatologist Lesley-Ann Dupigny-Giroux, a professor at the University of Vermont and member of the task force. “It is difficult to predict. We can be ...

and more »

Health Law Tax Penalty? I'll Take It, Millions Say (Published 2016)  The New York Times

State asks residents to report low or dry wells
The Manchester Journal
"Drought can become very widespread across a region or appear in very localized pockets," said task force member and State Climatologist Lesley-Ann Dupigny-Giroux, a professor at the University of Vermont, "It is difficult to predict. We can be in an ...

Board Hears of UVM's Economic Impact, Learns of a New Institute, Approves Two Major Capital Projects
UVM News
UVM's innovative research efforts also supported 809 jobs in Vermont and added $5.3 million in state and local taxes. UVM research also affects the Vermont economy via new product development and technology commercialization, according to the study.

Board Hears of UVM's Economic Impact, Learns of a New Institute, Approves Two Major Capital Projects
UVM News
UVM's innovative research efforts also supported 809 jobs in Vermont and added $5.3 million in state and local taxes. UVM research also affects the Vermont economy via new product development and technology commercialization, according to the study.

and more »

Backcountry
Rising Sun, Receding Snow: How climate change is impacting Japan's epic winters
Backcountry
“If you run forward 10, 20, 30 years, we actually have no idea what kind of fluctuations between these extremes we are likely to get,” says Dr. Alan Betts, an atmospheric scientist who studies climate fluctuations and their repercussions. “What appears ...

Vermont Officials: Dry Conditions Could Impact Your Drinking
My Champlain Valley FOX44 & ABC22
That's why it's so important for people to have a conservation mindset as winter nears,” added Dupigny-Giroux. Vermonters who are experiencing low or dry drinking water conditions are asked to report their findings by clicking here. Officials say ...

Then again: Vermont's first female lawmaker helped women claim a stake in the Statehouse
vtdigger.org
... Quiros sues insurer for $2 million, and counting, in legal fees · Hayden Dublois & David Colander: A new millennial Republican agenda · Hospital, housing trust partner to convert motel to housing · Breck Bowden: Seeking certainty about an uncertain ...

and more »Google News

St. Albans Messenger
Lake levels approach record lows
St. Albans Messenger
ST. ALBANS — With the water level in Lake Champlain reaching historic lows, a walking path has emerged between Kamp Kill Kare State Park and an island in St. Albans Bay. A few residents basked in the mid-afternoon sunshine Thursday, driving motorized ...

Air Force  stripes.com

Mike McCarthy Receives National Recognition
vtdigger.org
October 19, 2016 — Mike McCarthy, who is running for the Vermont House of Representatives in Saint Albans (Franklin-3-1), was named to the Progressive Change Campaign Committee's 2016 Power List, which recognizes rising political stars from across ...

and more »Google News

My girlfriend is always having to rescue her adult children and it’s affecting our partnership  The Guardian

As part of VT EPSCoR's ongoing effort to build capacity for technology infrastructure, competitiveness and economic development throughout Vermont, travel awards for small businesses were offered for the first time in 2016 and resulted in 5 Vermont attendees at the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) New England Regional Summit in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The summit was held on October 6, 2016, with a pre-conference networking held on October 5, 2016.

The summit was held at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The pre-conference event on October 5th focused on networking to increase engagement for female innovators and entrepreneurs. The theme of the full-day conference on October 6th was "Connecting New England Innovation Ecosystem Leaders, Entrepreneurs, Technologists, Investors, and SBIR/STTR Federal Funding Decision Makers."


The five travel awardees included:
Christian Fayomi of Synapse IC, LLC in Winooski, Vermont, who is currently working to create a low-cost method of sensing and detecting urinary incontinence to help those who suffer from this condition.

Stephen Guerrera, Bill Parker, and Julie Parker of the Creative Microsystems Corporation. The company is focused on fields including augmented reality, advanced vision, situational awareness, and data communications.

Ting Tan is an assistant professor in the University of Vermont's College of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences, who is currently involved in NASA's flexible thermal protection systems project and whose long-term research is focused on understanding the creation of novel materials and structures.

VT EPSCoR also offers entrepreneurs the opportunity to compete for seed funding of up to $15,000 through its SBIR Phase (0) awards intended to help be more competitive for federal SBIR/STTR competitions. More information may be found here: http://epscor.w3.uvm.edu/2/node/45

For more information about the SBIR conference please visit: http://www.sbirroadtour.com/boston/

To learn more about the SBIR program, please visit: https://www.sbir.gov/

Vermont EPSCoR conducted a macroinvertebrate identification workshop during a career immersion event for high school girls from across Vermont on October 13, 2016. The 18th annual "Women Can Do STEM & Trades" Conference was organized by Vermont Works for Women at Vermont Technical College. Held in Randolph, Vermont, about 90 participants attended.

Livia Donicova and Janel Roberge, VT EPSCoR Center for Workforce Development and Diversity (CWDD) members, led a "Let's Bug Out" workshop during the conference. The workshop allowed attendees to identify three different macroinvertebrates using microscopes and dichotomous keys. Students and teachers who were interested in learning more were provided with information about Vermont EPSCoR's high school and scholarship programs.


The Women Can Do STEM & Trades Conference is expected to return for a 19th annual event in the fall of 2017, and members from Vermont EPSCoR expect to participate in that event as well.

Kyle Dash of Moretown wins $5000 scholarship
Stowe Today
Kyle Dash of Moretown, a freshman who's majoring in environmental science at Castleton University, has received a $5,000 first-generation scholarship for the current academic year. EPSCoR, an initiative of the National Science Foundation, stands for ...