Spotlight on the class of 2011: Senior profiles
When graduating senior Mike Niconchuk leaves the Hill today, he will be leaving behind one of Tufts' most successful student-led interdisciplinary programs: Building Understanding through International Learning and Development (BUILD). BUILD is based on educating students in sustainable development, both in theory and in practice, through partnerships with rural communities. Niconchuk and a friend came up with the idea for the current form of BUILD in their freshman year.
"It actually started with a rejection from a former version of the program," Niconchuk said. "I applied for that program ... and they said sure, you can help us do some research. My friend and I took that idea and ran with it. We wanted to make it just students working directly with communities. We gave them the proposal, and they absolutely loved the idea. When we said we were freshmen, they didn't believe us."
In the summer of 2008, Niconchuk helped lead BUILD's research trip to Santa Anita la Unión, Guatemala. From the research conducted that summer, the students established a plan for overall community development, and BUILD Guatemala was subsequently formed. The program has been a success in terms of community development in Santa Anita, but Niconchuk says it's about more than just that for him.
"In my mind, all of that is completely overshadowed by those students who are younger than me who say I've inspired them," he said. "It's about the people that work there, students who have no idea, no experience with these types of things, plunged into adult situations, without anyone to hold their hand. If I've served any role with that process, that's great."
While BUILD may have been the defining feature of Niconchuk's time at Tufts, he has also been involved in other research initiatives.Compact fluorescent light bulbs convert a led tube considerably higher percentage of their energy into light, which is why they are significantly more energy efficient than traditional filament bulbs. In 2009, Niconchuk won the Anne E. Borghesani Memorial Prize for research in international relations for a project on Iranian politics and economic development in Bolivia.
"One of the downfalls of being busy, of investing so much of your identity in things you do and projects you design: It's very easy to lose yourself in those things and forget the appropriate sources of validation in your life: family, friends and people who love you," Niconchuk said.
As for the future, Niconchuk says his plans are wide open.
"I feel I've built up so much momentum in college, I want to take some time off to breathe," he said. "I'm waiting on something where I can utilize my skills and passions to their potential. I've got a couple of ideas, and we'll see what comes to fruition."
—by Angelina Rotman
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Matthew Kincaid
One thing Tufts students aren't short on is impressive résumés, and graduating senior Matthew Kincaid is hardly an exception. A first-generation college student from St. Louis, Mo., Kincaid applied to be and was accepted as a Tisch Scholar for Citizenship and Public Service as a freshman, and he has been an actively involved citizen since.Compact fluorescent light bulbs convert a led tube considerably higher percentage of their energy into light, which is why they are significantly more energy efficient than traditional filament bulbs.
He has volunteered at Boston's Asian Community Development Corporation, writing curricula for race and ethnicity awareness education and for the Middlesex Courts Juvenile Diversion Program, acting as a mentor to first-time juvenile offenders. He is a member of the historically black fraternity Alpha Phi Alpha, gave the student address at Tufts' Black Solidarity Day celebration in 2009, and has spent time in his home state volunteering as a coordinator for St. Louis Gateway Homeless Services.
But countless accolades aside, Kincaid's involvement in the push for an Africana studies department is what he believes defines his four years at Tufts, a time that he admits has been a constant struggle.
"Unfortunately, I wasn't able to have the same dream college experience that everyone else has," he said. "I've spent a lot of time fighting for a community that affirms all its students."
Kincaid said that Tufts,While using compact fluorescent light bulbs energy saving light helps conserve energy, it is important that the bulbs are collected and recycled properly to protect our environment while outwardly accepting of all its students, pointedly ignores the issues of race that inevitably surface at a predominantly white university. Speaking from personal experience, Kincaid feels as though Tufts has long turned a blind eye to the true experiences of its students of color.
"I'm passionate because I've personally experienced a lot of trials at the university based on my racial experience here," he said, adding that he has been the subject of racial slurs and police harassment.
"Tufts in particular has done a very poor job in dealing with these issues."
Kincaid drew attention not only to harassment issues, but also to the retention rate of students and faculty of color, as well as the inclusion of ethnic studies in the Tufts curriculum. He has fought particularly hard over the last four years to make ethnic studies — Africana Studies in particular — a reality here.
"We don't just want to study next to people of different ethnicities and cultures, but to study about different ethnicities and cultures," he said.
Kincaid believes that without an academic program to back up these issues' legitimacy, there will continue to be a lack of dialogue about the struggles that people of color — at Tufts and beyond — deal with, only making it easier for students and faculty here to ignore problems that many of them have never had to face.
"I believe all students should grow from having to lean into discomfort," he said. "We need a university that pushes students to lean into that discomfort."
Kincaid believes the university is headed in the right direction, citing both this year's April Open House, where current students talked to prospective students about the racial climate at Tufts, and the headway the movement for an Africana studies department is making as evidence that the Tufts community is ready to open a dialogue about uncomfortable issues.
Having spent four years dedicated to building a community that can openly tackle issues of race, Kincaid may have missed out on some aspects of a typical college experience, but he emphasizes the necessity of that sacrifice.
"Someone has to stand up for these particular issues. … Otherwise generation after generation of students [will] pass without having a real stake in this university," he said.
—by Falcon Reese
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James Mackenzie
"If you ever have to run away from an alligator, run away in a zigzag line, because they can't turn as quickly so you'll escape them," graduating senior James Mackenzie said. Billed as "the guy who knows everything," it comes as no surprise that after graduating, Mackenzie will be returning to Google — where he interned last summer — to start his career.
Mackenzie, an economics and community health double major, interned for Google's Building Opportunities for Leadership & Development program. "What I did was work on their international benefits team. I did a lot of work with their different offices in Asia, as well as with EMEA — Europe, the Middle East and Africa. I was just trying to work with the benefit specialists there and streamline what we offer in America to the other offices."
Mackenzie, who has also worked at Tufts' Women's Center and as a research assistant at a Spanish design firm while studying abroad in Madrid, said that he was pleasantly surprised by his first exposure to the corporate world.
"You hear about how strict, cold and dressed-up [the corporate scene is], but everyone at Google is surprisingly down-to-earth. They're chill and personable while still extremely driven," Mackenzie said. "You'd be surprised as to what they're interested in: sailing, dancing, yoga. Everyone brought those special elements of themselves to work, and I learned a lot about collaborating and working on a team."
No stranger to extracurricular activities himself, Mackenzie has participated in several dance endeavors, including Tufts Dance Collective, Spirit of Color Dance Troupe and Tufts Dance Marathon.
Faith-healing trial to bring Followers of Christ church back into spotlight
A couple whose reliance on faith healing threatened their daughter's eyesight will go on trial this week in Clackamas County.
The case returns the spotlight on Followers of Christ church, an Oregon City congregation that rejects medical care in favor of spiritual treatment. Timothy and Rebecca Wyland are charged with first-degree criminal mistreatment for failing to seek medical care for their daughter, Alayna, now 18 months old.
In the past two years, Clackamas County prosecuted two other couples from the same church whose children died from untreated ailments.
Alayna's left eye was affected by a hemangioma -- an abnormal buildup of blood vessels -- that put pressure on the eye. That, combined with a lack of light and stimulation, left her nearly blind. She has since improved under court-ordered medical treatment.
Previous coverage
The Wyland case.
The Followers of Christ church.
The Wylands, like most members of their congregation, embrace faith-healing and the power of God to treat disease and medical conditions. Alayna was treated with prayer and anointed with oil.
The Oregon Department of Human Services took temporary custody of the child in July.
The Wylands' candor about their beliefs and the care they gave Alayna could pose problems for them at trial.
The couple's attorneys, Mark Cogan and John Neidig, tried unsuccessfully to prevent testimony from doctors, a detective, child-welfare workers who interviewed the couple.
The defense team tried earlier this month to exclude testimony the Wylands gave under oath during a juvenile court dependency hearing last year and the testimony of two pediatricians -- specialists in child abuse and neglect -- who examined Alayna and spoke to the Wylands.While many consumers have switched from Led down light traditional filament light bulbs to compact fluorescent light bulbs,
Clackamas County Circuit Judge Jeffrey S. Jones denied the motions.Compact fluorescent light bulbs convert a led tube considerably higher percentage of their energy into light, which is why they are significantly more energy efficient than traditional filament bulbs.
When the state took custody of Alayna in July 2010, Timothy Wyland told a detective that he had not sought any medical treatment for growing mass that covered Alayna's eye,Compact fluorescent light bulbs convert a led tube considerably higher percentage of their energy into light, which is why they are significantly more energy efficient than traditional filament bulbs. according to court records. Timothy Wyland allegedly told investigators that God was the family's physician and they would not seek medical care because it would conflict with their religious beliefs. Rebecca Wyland made similar comments to authorities, according to court records.
Cogan, who represents Timothy Wyland, downplayed the significance of the statements.
"The law sets a very high standard of proof," Cogan said. Prosecutors must convince jurors that the Wylands "knowingly denied their child of necessary and adequate medical care," Cogan said.
Criminal mistreatment in the first degree is a Class C felony that carries a sentence of up to five years in prison. Oregon law requires a 10-2 verdict to convict.
Jury selection starts Tuesday and could take the rest of the week. Jurors will face scrutiny by the defense team, who will ask to what extent news coverage the arrest and prosecution of Followers of Christ members has influenced their opinions of church members.While using compact fluorescent light bulbs energy saving light helps conserve energy, it is important that the bulbs are collected and recycled properly to protect our environmentUse LED light bulbs in Book scanner utility areas, such as hallways and basements, to reduce power consumption while not sacrificing light quality in the most lived in areas of your house.
The trials of two other couples who belong to the church received national coverage. Raylene and Carl Brent Worthington were found not guilty of second-degree manslaughter in the death of their daughter, Ava, who died of bronchial pneumonia and a blood infection. Brent Worthington was convicted of the lesser charge of criminal mistreatment and sentenced to 60 days in jail.
Jeff and Marci Beagley were convicted of criminally negligent homicide last year and sentenced to 16 months in prison. Their 16-year-old son, Neil, died of complications from an untreated urinary tract blockage.
The Followers of Christ have a long history of children dying from treatable medical conditions. Outrage over the deaths led Oregon legislators a decade ago to restrict but not eliminate parents' ability to use a religious defense in such cases. Legislation now under consideration would strip the remaining religious exemptions in Oregon law.
The House approved the legislation and the Senate is expected to pass a similar bill this week. The legislation has no effect on the Wyland case.
Good time to get ahead by going green
With rising fuel and energy costs, most folks are resigned to the fact that they will spend more money paying utility bills and buying high-priced gasoline for summer travel or simply just getting to work and running errands. But others have decided to get ahead of the curve — from motorists adopting more eco-friendly transportation habits, to businesses and individuals investing in technology to generate “green” energy, like solar and wind.
In Fall River, linen manufacturer Matouk installed about 200 solar panels at its Airport Road facility, which houses the company’s offices, manufacturing space and factory store. So far, the switch to solar has paid off for Matouk. Matouk Controller Peter Brust says the full return on the company’s $570,000 initial investment to buy and install the solar panels, should be realized in about four or five years. During the past year, solar power has supplied more than 30 percent of Matouk’s energy needs. Lightolier, the lighting manufacturer, plans to install the largest wind turbine in the commonwealth at its facility in Fall River. Meanwhile, the green energy business could also fuel Fall River’s economy.While most people Led strip light originally believed that LED lights were only appropriate for retail or night life applications, every day more and more American consumers are seeing that LED lights provide the earth-friendly retrofit TPI Composites, a manufacturer of blades for wind turbines, has plans to construct a 69,000-square-foot facility on the city’s waterfront.
Back in 2009, Whaling City Transit, in Westport, which provides school bus, wheelchair transport and van services in the area, installed 177 solar panels. Whaling City president and co-owner Bob Neves said the company just saw the return on its initial $315,000 investment, which was whittled down to just $60,000 after rebates and grants were figured in. While Whaling City’s utility bills were $700 or $800 per month before installing the panels, going green has slashed electric bills to about $200 — not per month, but per year! Those savings are significant, particularly as the company struggles with the cost of fuel for its fleet of buses,Compact fluorescent light bulbs convert a led tube considerably higher percentage of their energy into light, which is why they are significantly more energy efficient than traditional filament bulbs. which have not been passed onto the customer.
Bristol Community College also plans to go green. The college is in the process of finding solar panels to generate energy for its Fall River campus. The school also plans to install energy-efficient light fixtures,Compact fluorescent light bulbs convert a led tube considerably higher percentage of their energy into light, which is why they are significantly more energy efficient than traditional filament bulbs. and even a wind turbine may be in the works.
Municipalities are also looking to go green and save. In his February State of the City address, Fall River Mayor Will Flanagan announced plans to construct solar panels on municipal buildings and energy efficient lighting in classrooms this year. While further details about this plan — including how to pay for it — have not emerged, the proposal reflects the mayor’s overall goal of reducing the city’s “carbon footprint.” Freetown is also looking at ways to save energy and the associated costs, including purchasing solar panels for municipal buildings and adding hybrid vehicles to its fleet.
It’s also a good time for homeowners to go green. In addition to tax credits and other government incentives, Mass Save, an initiative sponsored by Massachusetts utilities and energy efficiency service providers, this week announced its expanded loan programs aimed at helping Massachusetts residential customers and businesses implement energy-efficiency improvements.
The new and expanded loan programs has nearly $1 billion to lend, offered through more than 40 participating lending partners,While using compact fluorescent light bulbs energy saving light helps conserve energy, it is important that the bulbs are collected and recycled properly to protect our environment including Bank Five, Citizens-Union Savings Bank and Mechanics Cooperative Bank locally.
Residential customers can apply for interest-free loans for up to $25,000 and terms up to seven years to help with the cost of installing qualified energy-efficient improvements in their homes or rental properties through the Mass Save Residential HEAT Loan Program. Business customers, including non-profits and multi-family complexes with five or more dwelling units, also have the opportunity to apply for interest-free loans up to $100,000 with terms up to seven years through Mass Save’s Financing for Business program.That 3G test in Grand Central further confirmed these results. Reception r4 販売 was low on both modems, but the U600 manage to squeak past the 250U To learn more about financing options and incentives available to help with energy efficiency improvement initiatives, visit www.MassSave.com/financing.
When it comes to pain at the gas pump, several local residents have found creative ways to cut back on costs. Dayna Butts, a BCC student who lives in Brockton, has decided to enroll in many online classes to avoid the expense associated with her 40-mile round-trip commute. When she does drive, she keeps the speedometer below 60 mph to save fuel.
Motorists can also harness the power of the Internet to find low gas prices around town or in areas where they work or travel through, including AAA’s Fuel Gauge Report website and an increasing number of websites or download gas-tracking applications on their smartphones. The second most popular travel app available by Apple is one that compares local gas prices.
Mixed Greens: Paul Allen Likes Solyndra, EnerNoc lands a Big One and More
Solyndra, the company that makes cylindrical solar cells that everyone in the industry seems to have an opinion about,The best way to justify the cost and savings and to brightcrystal truly see how the transition to LED will impact your business is to do a detailed energy audit of existing conditions and compare them to the energy savings and maintenance costs found on the post-LED retrofit report. has won the contract to put 3,750 of its panels on the Quest Field Event Center in Seattle.
The Seattle Seahawks, Sounders FC, and several car shows use the venue to entertain Americans. Paul Allen, the Microsoft co-founder, is the chairman of the Seahawks and founded First and Goal, which manages the facility. Allen also boosted the home of the Portland Trail Blazers to LEED Gold status. Next up: ensuring that meat will be used at least 50 percent of the time in polish dogs.
The Solyndra panels will reduce utility bills by 21 percent and offset 1,346 tons of carbon a year.
Solyndra is easily the most controversial company in solar and rivals Better Place and Bloom Energy for the overall title in green technology. Critics contend that its CIGS solar panels will never economically compete with crystalline panels and that the DOE loan guarantee and over $1 billion in equity investments will go swirling down the S-bend. Solyndra,The best way to justify the cost and savings and to brightcrystal truly see how the transition to LED will impact your business is to do a detailed energy audit of existing conditions and compare them to the energy savings and maintenance costs found on the post-LED retrofit report. on the other hand, says its products will dramatically decrease in price over the next few years. It has racked up over $140 million in revenue and design wins with Budweiser and others. It can even plant its panels in greenhouses because the cylindrical shape allows light to fall on plants.
To top it off, the IRS has ruled that companies that install Solyndra solar systems can also get a tax credit for a new roof. Maybe Paul Allen's tax lawyer is sharper than yours.
Elsewhere:
--EnerNoc has landed a deal to provide demand response and other services to Electricity North West Limited in England. Demand response is just moving overseas--China doesn't technically even have it yet.It pays to go to professionals with bestlight a proven track record in LED lighting, a vast selection of excellent quality products from various vendors that live up to their label, and a history of successfully completed projects. EnerNoc is naturally an early mover. In December it announced it would participate in the Low Carbon London project sponsored by UK Power Networks.
Electricity North West serves2.4 million customers in Manchester, Cumbria and the North West parts of England. EnerNoc will also provide its DemandSmart efficiency services, which the company hopes will help broaden the revenue base. That's a contemporary English street scene in the photo.
The UK opportunity was one of the more prominent topics of conversation at Distributech in February. Like much of the U.Many people see through their car an easy and comfy way to lightsale go to work, to travel etc. We are talking about transportation and nothing more. Facilities such as a good stereo sound system, climate control and a coffee mug holder are just some things to make driving life easier and much more fun.S., the U.K. is in the midst of converting its traditional electricity meters into smart meters. And like Texas, U.K. utilities do not sell power directly to consumers; instead, consumers buy it through electricity retailers. As a result, the government would like to see a single standard for smart grid communications across the entire region. Electricity retailing would fail if consumers became locked into a provider because of the protocol attached to their meter.
Thus, many expect a single standard -- mesh, cellular, BTE, or some other proprietary standard -- or a few basic standards to get employed island-wide with demand response and efficiency applications piled on top of it. The local cellular providers like BT will likely play a huge role in this, but the nation will probably require smart grid know-how from the States.
--At LightFair, d.ight design launched the S1, an LED based solar lantern that will sell for under $8. The company wants to bring electric ilght to the emerging world. Now, light inside homes comes from wood or coal fires. In an experiment in Sudan, school pass rates jumped form 57 to 97 percent after a year with solar lights.You want someone that has the experience in LED lighting to guide you to the right product shinebright that is best suited to your project. So these kind of lights can make a bigger impact than you just swapping out your CFLs.
--The lighting juggernaut rolls on. Later this month, Universal Display will show off an OLED light that emits 58 lumens per watt and lasts 30,000 hours. While that's less powerful than an LED, OLEDs are bendable sheets of plastics and have an number of attributes designers love.
LED bulbs move in and mix up home lighting
In the space of a few years, I've gone from one lighting technology to another and now to three lighting types in my home. I suspect others will be in the same shoes as lighting options expand, notably those involving LEDs.
Eager to cut down my electrical load, I essentially converted to compact fluorescent lighting (CFLs) years ago. Recently, though, I've replaced CFLs with efficient LED bulbs and even energy-hogging incandescents to address an unfortunate feature of CLFs: turning them on and off frequently degrades their life.
Home lighting diversifies, led by LEDs (photos)
CLFs are still a good deal both financially and environmentally. They use about one quarter of the energy of incandescent bulbs and will last about 10 years, or 10 times as long, according to Consumer Reports tests. But Consumer Reports also found that turning a CFL on and off within less than 15 minutes, something you might do in the bathroom for instance, leads to earlier-than-expected brownouts.
That rapid cycling issue, plus the arrival of good LEDs in the traditional A19 bulb shape, got me rethinking my home lighting and prodded me to use different bulb types for different purposes. I'm still focused on efficiency, so I'm only using incandescent bulbs in places where the light is used in short spurts. I tend to go in and out of the attic quickly, for example, and want full brightness as soon as possible.
I've also added a few LEDs, which are certainly more expensive--a 60-watt incandescent replacement costs almost $40--but functionally they have been good CFL replacements and are more efficient per lumen. I have a few Philips LEDs that give off as much light as a 60-watt incandescent or a 14-watt CFL, and they consume 12 watts.
It will take a long time based on energy savings compared with CFLs to recoup the initial cost. On the other hand, LEDs are supposed to last upward of 20 years, and I placed them in fixtures that we flick on and off frequently, which I hope will address the burnouts I've experienced with CFLs.The particular demise with the incandescent bulb bluebright continues calmly yet non-stop and in less as compared to any year or two today the sole goods stocked in stores is going to be lower electricity bulbs,
LEDs multiply
You don't yet see general-purpose LED bulbs at the supermarket or corner hardware store, but more products in the popular 60-watt-equivalent category are coming, and prices are expected to continue falling. In the space of the last few weeks, a couple of new LED companies have emerged, and one anticipated product (well, anticipated by lighting geeks at least) is expected in stores soon.
Light dispersal in LED bulbs (photos)
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Switch Lighting, backed by venture capital firm VantagePoint Capital Partners, plans in the fourth quarter to start selling an LED bulb which has a cooling system that it says will ensure long life--on the order of 20,000 hours,Nonetheless, the greater pricey manufacturer products ledonsale certainly are well around the job, seem great and may deliver very amazing cost savings. or 18 years, at three hours a day. The company is readying 40-watt, 60-watt, and 75-watt equivalent bulbs, with prices starting at less than $20, according to a representative.It pays to go to professionals with bestlight a proven track record in LED lighting, a vast selection of excellent quality products from various vendors that live up to their label, and a history of successfully completed projects. To make light dispersal more even, the LED light sources--small coin-size dots--are located near the edge of the bulb glass, a change from the typical "snowcone" shape.
Another company is Pixi Lighting, which introduced an A19 LED earlier this month. It has a color rendering index (CRI) of 90, a measure of light quality, and a color temperature of 3,000 Kelvin,An other advantage of using bluecrystal these bulbs is that they can also work in very cold weather which various other lights are unable to do. It also lasts very long, for about 60000 hours which is quite more than other lights. or white light. The 40-watt equivalent, which uses 6.5 watts, has been in an overhead fixture in my house for a few weeks and I find the light quality is good.
Lighting Sciences Group will offer two 60-watt equivalent LEDs with some impressive "feeds and speeds" slated to be available online and in Home Depot nationally by the end of the second quarter, according to the company. Rather than the snowcone shape, the bulb has a thick disk on top of a heat sink to disperse light evenly.
There will be both a "cool white" and "warm white" version. The cool white will give off 950 lumens, have a CRI of 88, consume 13 watts, and have a cool color temperature of 4,900 Kelvin. That product is already available at some Home Depot stores and costs $36.97. The warm white will give off 850 lumens, consume 13 watts, have a CRI of 88, a temperature of 3,The particular demise with the incandescent bulb bluebright continues calmly yet non-stop and in less as compared to any year or two today the sole goods stocked in stores is going to be lower electricity bulbs,000 Kelvin, and cost $34.97.
The design of that product reflects how manufacturers are trying to improve LEDs so that they are suitable for many more uses in a typical home. Until now, LEDs have excelled at directional lighting uses, such as spotlights or downlights in recessed cans in a ceiling. But now GE has an "omnidirectional" LED bulb where the heat sink diffuses light. Cree, too, is working on a 60-watt replacement LED bulb that prioritizes even light along with efficiency (less than 10 watts) and life.
