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story Oyster Shells, Rusty Nails and Rosary Beads Irish 'Dig' Reveals Clues to Lives of 19th _Century Canal Builq~ts UMASS LOWELL MAGAZINE COVER STORY "The samples correspond to similar samples found in UMASS LOWELL ALUMNI HAVE Northern Ireland in the same time period. We're fairly COME FROM MORE THAN 80 certain that we've discovered evidence of people living in the (church) lawn area, which was probably the FOREIGN COUNTRIES earliest encampment for the canal diggers. A lot of When he arrived here two years ago, Provost Ahmed things they're finding are precisely what we anticipated. Abdelal said one of his priorities would be to "interna "We've been able to confirm that this is a site but tionalize" UMass Lowell. His efforts in this initiative not necessarily the only one. We hope the interest gen have included the creation of six centers that provide erated in this dig will spur another round of research." students and faculty with opportunities to study and The idea, he said, is that over the next two years, conduct research with academic partners in Europe, this dig will be followed up by four more - one week Asia, Africa, South America and the Middle East. long dig each year in both Lowell and in County Tyrone, But, from the standpoint of enrollment on the Low the latter being at the home site of Cummiskey, the im ell campus, the University has been "international" for migrant who led the Irish laborers from Charlestown to a long time. This academic year alone, there are nearly Lowell nearly 190 years ago. 400 international students enrolled from 46 countries. Though the St. Patrick's parish At week's end, the students filled the trenches back Moreover, the alumni rolls include more than 1,200 was formed in 1827, the church in. But first they spread plastic sheeting at the bottom graduates from more than 80 foreign countries. India, wasn't officially consecrated to preserve the sites and placed plastic pegs at each with 419, is, by far, the country with the largest number unril 1831. comer to mark the dimensions of the excavations. of UMass Lowell degree holders. Next come Taiwan "If we get funding, we hope to come back next year with 197 and Canada with 101. and open the trenches again and continue to dig," said UMass Lowell has prepared these graduates to re Donnelly. "And we may extend the project. Open up turn to their own countries armed with the knowledge other areas." and skills to enjoy successful careers and to be effective The partnership between UMass Lowell and Queen's community leaders. "WHEN WE was formalized in 2009 when Chancellor Marty Meehan One example of a graduate who has returned home led a delegation to Ireland to meet with representatives to raise the quality of life of her fellow citizens is OPENED THE of the Belfast university. Salinee Tavaranan, who in 2004 earned a master's de TRENCHES WE Speaking more recently about the project in The gree in solar engineering. Tavaranan moved back to her DIDN'T KNOW IF Acre, Meehan said, "Our priority with these Centers is native Thailand where she is director of the Border to provide graduates with a global perspective, one that Green Energy Team, an organization that works with WE'D FIND ANY will contribute to their career success by deepening villagers in ethnic minority areas on both sides of the THING, BUT IT their understanding of multiple cultures, which, in Thai/Burma border - improving solar home systems, today's shrinking world, is no longer optional but re teaching renewable energy practices and helping with BECAME CLEAR quired. solar electricity construction for medical clinics. AFTER THE FIRST "This archaeological dig is one of many concrete Yanir Shaked is an example of a graduate who has ways that students are already benefiting from our agree achieved success in both the corporate and academic DAY THAT WE ments with notable international universities."(cid:127) worlds. Shaked, who earned his doctorate in plastics WERE GOING engineering in 2007, is director of research and devel opment at Polyram Co., Israel's leading manufacturer TO BE ABLE TO of engineering thermoplastic compounds for the auto TELL A STORY motive, electrical and construction industries; and he also is a senior faculty member in plastics engineering OF WHAT WAS at the Shenkar College of Engineering and Design. GOING ON HERE Three others among the 1,200 graduates from IN THE PERIOD foreign countries who have achieved success in their chosen fields are from Taiwan, Korea and India. BETWEEN 1820 Edward Chang, who earned a master's degree in AND 1850." plastics engineering in 1992, is vice president of Simplo Technology, a Taiwanese company that produces a - COLM DONNELLY, variety of battery pack products for customers such as QUEEN'S UNIVERSITY Dell, Hewlett-Packard and Apple. Jae Hyun Kim, who earned his master's degree in chemistry in 1999, is managing director of Dongjin Semichem Co. in Korea. Dongjin makes electronic ma terials and foaming agents for semiconductors and flat liquid crystal displays. Nayan S. Parekh '94 is director of Nikamal Ltd. in India, a company that manufactures plastic moulding products. Parekh earned a master's degree in plastics engineering. (cid:127) 26 UMASS LOWELL MAGAZINE WINTER 2 0 11 COVER STORY I N F O C U· S Globetrotting: Bhimavaram. UMass Lowell staff Collaborations with two univer and graduate students support sities in Istanbul, Turkey - Yeditepe Indian students through visits and University and Bahcesehir Univer UMass Lowell by distance communication. More sity - include a National Science than 50 projects are completed Foundation-funded workshop on or ongoing. Assistive Technology, as well as Partnerships Span summer joint M.B.A. electives and MIDDLE EAST - courses in engineering. At Bilkent CHALLENGE, OPPORTUNITY University in Ankara, College of the World IN EGYPT, ISRAEL, JORDAN Management faculty members are AND TURKEY teaching during the winter break, University collaborations can accompanied by UMass Lowell contribute to better international students. Joint research is planned communication and understanding, in the areas of nanotechnology, a goal that UMass Lowell fosters biotechnology, plastics and through the Middle East Center for biomedical engineering. Peace, Development and Culture. In Egypt, UMass Lowell works AFRICA - ADVANCING with the University of Cairo to col SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY laborate in Biomedical Engineering IN GHANA, NIGERIA and Biotechnology for graduate In the first of planned faculty and studies and research, and across student exchanges, a UMass Lowell departments of economics, political professor taught a semester of science and women's studies. At biology at the Kwame Nkrumah the High Institute of Applied Arts, University of Science & Technolo UMass Lowell will host an exhibi gy in Kumasi, Ghana. Faculty tion of Contemporary Egyptian in engineering and nanotechnology Digital Art in 2011 in the first are building research collaborations New ideas, heightened enthusiasm, UMass President's Office to phase of a multi-dimensional with the University of llorin, cross-cultural experience - a cam coordinate university programs partnership. in Nigeria. pus with international programs and state agencies. A joint degree in Peace and and research is a more exciting UMass Lowell's focus of collabo Conflict Studies, scheduled to IRELAND - HERITAGE place to be, for faculty as much as ration is on engineered nanoparti launch in 2011, has been developed TIES THE UNITED STATES, for students. That excitement is the cles and understanding the link by an inter-disciplinary faculty NORTHERN IRELAND foremost benefit of expanding part between health, environment and group with the University of Haifa, AND IRELAND nerships. UMass Lowell also directs manufacturing. With Tsinghua's in Israel. The partnership was Archeological research (described its partnerships to geographically related industry connections in extended to include Queen's on Page 23) was conducted in strategic areas, where developed China, a team of UMass Lowell University in Northern Ireland to Massachusetts and Ireland by technologies, population density professors (from work environment, establish the Belfast-Haifa-Lowell students and faculty ofUMass and existing universities offer biology, plastics and mechanical Educational Research Group. The Lowell and Queen's University in the greatest potential benefits to engineering) take exposure meas group held a summer summit for Belfast. Other programs include a both partners. urements, modify manufacturing collaboration on improving public partnership between Dublin City processes, research nanocomposite schools set in challenging environ University, UMass Lowell and ASIA - RAPID DEVELOPMENT properties and investigate toxicity. ments. At Shenkar College of Queen's University in presenting IN CHINA AND INDIA The researchers have also submit Engineering and Design, near the first U.S./lreland Emerging UMass Lowell's Computer Sciences ted a joint research proposal and Tel Aviv, an innovative joint Technologies Conference, in Department works in China with have been invited to speak at a graduate program in Plastics Lowell, at which researchers CERNET, the China Education U.S. workshop on nanostructured Engineering allows students in discussed biopharmaceuticals, and Research Network, to run a materials for energy and the both UMass Lowell and Shenkar's medical devices and nanotechnolo summer program for Chinese stu environment. Master of Science (M.S.) programs gy with representatives of leading dents leading to enrollment in the In India, UMass Lowell's to attend classes and conduct companies in manufacturing and MS degree program at UMass Low renowned Assistive Technology research at both campuses. product development. The second ell. Strong ties exist with Tsinghua program is being replicated at the In Jordan, science and conference will be held in Ireland University in Beijing, supported by B.V. Raju Institute of Technology engineering faculty are developing in 2011. (cid:127) a UMass Online agreement and the in Hyderabad, and the Shri Vishnu joint research projects with the China Institute established by the Engineering College for Women in University of Petra. W f NT E R 2 0 11 UMASS LOWELL MAGAZINE 2 7