2004-2005 News Releases

News Releases

Fifth Annual "Thinking Matters" At USM April 21

April 10 , 2006

It's all here on April 21: More than 100 student research posters focusing on everything from Portland's contaminated soils to papermaking; some 20 panels/presentations ranging from recovery from Hurricane Katrina to ethics at risk; and a key officer of the Gulf of Maine Research Institute as the keynote speaker.

USM will host its fifth annual "Thinking Matters" Friday, April 21, on its Portland campus. The purpose of the event is to provide a public forum for students to share the results of their research, encourage student initiative, and celebrate the results. Admission is free.

The panels and presentations include:
• Ethics at risk - a combination of theory and application
• Altruism or self-interest: driving shoppers to the thrift store; non-profit retailing
• Hurricanes Katrina and Rita - the Distant Hands Network, a web-based initiative to connect Maine groups with those in the area of need.

Examples of the research posters that will be presented include:
• Papermaking by horticulture students using locally collected fibers
• Contamination in soils in and around Portland and ways of removing it using plants; "Phytoremediation of lead-contaminated soil in Portland."
• The Unicorn Tapestries, a re-examination - a poster and a video presentation of the tapestries.

Keynote speaker, Alan Lishness, chief innovation officer for the Gulf of Maine Research Institute, will make his presentation at 9 a.m. in Hannaford Lecture Hall in the Abromson Community Education Center. He will describe the methods employed to design and operate the Cohen Center for Interactive Learning along with the numerous disciplines that were involved. He will also provide a view into innovative interface technologies that enable learners to interact more directly with information and concepts.

Lishness was born and raised in Brunswick, was graduated from high school there, earned a BA from Gettysburg College, and currently lives with his family in Cape Elizabeth.

Registration and an information center will be at 8:00 a.m. in Abromson Center (connected to USM's new garage building). Admission is free to the public. There will be 20 oral presentations throughout the morning and afternoon and, from 1:00-3:00 p.m., poster authors will be available in Sullivan Gymnasium with their works.

A feature again this year will be ice carvings presented by culinary students from Southern Maine Community College (SMCC).

Co-chairs of the event for USM are Professor Julie Ellis, associate professor of engineering, and her daughter Sarah Hines, a student at USM majoring in political science.

"Thinking Matters" is free and open to the public.

ADVISORY FOR EDITORS AND NEWS DIRECTORS:
You are cordially invited to cover this event, including photography of the related poster exhibit. The panel presentations will take place throughout the morning and afternoon at locations on the Portland campus. The 100-plus poster presentations will be held from 1 to 3 p.m. in the Sullivan Gym, Falmouth St., Portland.

Professor Julie Ellis is available at 780-5166 or 653-4263 (cell). If you wish assistance in covering this event, please contact Bob Caswell or Judie O'Malley at the USM Public Affairs Office, 780-4200, to make arrangements.

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