Tours
After-Dinner Speaker
Field Trip
Wednesday Morning Tours
Led by Sally Prasch, Scientific Glassblower and Instructor at UMass Amherst
The mission of the glassblowing laboratory is to provide high quality, affordably priced standard and non–standard items, glassware modifications, repairs and custom designs for instructional and research needs. The lab works closely with individuals in the design, fabrication and repair of specialty scientific glass instruments. The lab has the capacity to work with all types of glass, including borosilicate, quartz, aluminosilicate, and soft glass. The shop is fully equipped with annealing ovens, lathes, diamond saw, lapping wheel, and a variety of torches. Some glass parts and tubing are kept in stock to keep turnaround time to a minimum. The lab is run by Sally Prasch, a veteran laboratory glassblower with more than 40 years of experience. On our tour we'll learn more about the types of projects Sally works on, the tools she uses, differences in glass type, and more!
Led by Ted Mendoza, UMass Amherst Facilities Capital Project Manager
The North Chiller Plant, completed in 2017, was designed to be part of the campus dedication to Living Laboratories, offering students opportunities to get hands-on experience with real-world implementation of concepts they might otherwise only hear about in a classroom and read about in their textbooks. Not only does this campus chiller plant improve the efficiency of the production of chilled water, it was created to help students grasp the engineering challenges in producing such a resource in the most efficient way possible. In addition to comfort-related cooling (i.e. air conditioning), chilled water service is also used for research-focused, process-related purposes. Whether it is to cool a laser, temper a chemical reaction, or maintain strict environmental conditions, the consistent uninterruptible availability of chilled water within a building where research-intensive activity occurs is more critical as more buildings like the Life Sciences Laboratories or the Physical Sciences Building are built and integrate into typical academic life. Come explore the building, learn how a chiller plant works, and hear about the design challenges in achieving LEED Silver Certification in a building not meant for occupancy.
Thursday After-Dinner Speaker
Therapy Dogs on Campus: The UMass Amherst Paws Program
April McNally, Health Promotion Specialist at the UMass Amherst Center for Health Promotion, and Michelle Karb, Executive Director of Bright Spot Therapy Dogs, Inc., will share about their wonderful partnership running the Paws Program at the UMass Libraries. They will touch on how the Paws Program got started and how other libraries could set up similar programs, as well as how dogs are certified and the commitment needed from dog owners.
Friday Afternoon Field Trip
Led by Fred Gagnon, Curator at Magic Wings
Come to the Magic Wings Butterfly Conservatory and Gardens for a guided tour from their curator Fred Gagnon. How do they breed the butterflies? How did they pick the species they did? Why are there quail? The guided part of the tour will last an hour but you are welcome to explore until they close at 5 pm. If spaces are available, partners, children, and friends are welcome to join us for a $20 entrance fee.