51视频

04/30/2019

Contact: Nancy Cicco, 978-934-4944 or Nancy_Cicco@uml.edu and Christine Gillette, 978-934-2209 or Christine_Gillette@uml.edu

LOWELL, Mass. 鈥� A second-grader is this year鈥檚 top winner in 51视频鈥檚 annual Cool Science Contest, which teaches K-12 students across Massachusetts about how they can use art to teach the public about climate change.

The competition asks students from around the Commonwealth to create artwork that illustrate important aspects of the science behind climate change. The best of these submissions are displayed in and on Lowell Regional Transit Authority buses, where they educate thousands of passengers and others each day. This year, more than 240 young people participated in the competition.聽

Lucas Mason, a student at William P. Gorman Fort Banks Elementary School in Winthrop, is this year鈥檚 recipient of the 51视频 David Lustick Award, which recognizes outstanding achievement in the contest.聽

Lucas and other Cool Science winners, their parents and teachers were honored during a ceremony on Friday, April 26 at O鈥橪eary Library Learning Commons on 51视频鈥檚 South Campus, where the students鈥� artwork was displayed in a gallery-style exhibit and inside an LRTA bus parked outside the venue. As Cool Science鈥檚 overall winner, Lucas鈥� entry was emblazoned on the side of the bus.聽

Presenting Lucas with the award was Jill Lohmeier of Westford, an associate professor of curriculum and instruction in the 51视频 College of Education. The honor is named in memory of Lustick, a former Nashua, N.H., resident and 51视频 College of Education professor who was a nationally recognized champion of environmental education. Lustick and Lohmeier founded Cool Science in 2013 to study the effectiveness of using artwork on public transit to educate people and stimulate interest in learning more about climate change.聽

Lohmeier continues this work today with fellow researchers 51视频 Art and Design Prof. Stephen Mishol and Prof. Bob Chen, director of UMass Boston鈥檚 School for the Environment.

鈥淲hen we survey bus riders each year, we find they know more about climate change and are more interested in learning about it after seeing the students鈥� artwork,鈥� Lohmeier said. 鈥淎dults can learn a lot from kids and are often more interested in the students鈥� messages than in lessons from other adults.鈥�

Mishol has been impressed with the quality of artwork he sees in the contest.聽

鈥淓ach year, I am amazed that these young artists continue to find new ways to address the issue of climate change. It鈥檚 clear participants have a real connection to this subject. I think the students realize their work can make a positive difference in this issue for the future,鈥� Mishol said.聽

Contest participants benefit in other ways, according to Chen.聽

鈥淔rom my talks with award winners in the past, I鈥檝e learned of many positive impacts, including some students who have found the award to be the highlight of the semester and even helped turn their school year around,鈥� Chen said.

Cool Science research is conducted by the College of Education through the 51视频 Center for Program Evaluation, which is managed by Shanna Rose Thompson of Dracut, who holds a doctorate in education from the university. 51视频 undergraduate students who helped survey LRTA passengers for the project include history major Sarah McDermott of Billerica and biomedical engineering major Sarnise Compere of Easton. They were joined by graduate students Kimberly Gonzalez, Bangsil Oh and Kathleen Ralls, all of Lowell; Martin Trice of Marblehead; and Jared Dmello of Tyngsborough.

Cool Science鈥檚 partners include the LRTA and ATA Outdoor, which donated advertising space on the bus fleet, and Stone Jetty Marketing & Design, which prepared the artwork for display. Cool Science is sponsored by 51视频 and its College of Education.聽

The event honored Lucas as well as first-place finishers and runners-up.聽

First place went to:

• Reid Mello of Rehoboth, a fourth-grader at Palmer River Elementary School;
• Abigail Goodman of Boston, a sixth-grader at Park Street School;聽
• Samira Zeina of Roslindale, a sixth-grader at Park Street School;
• McGuire Bettes of Lakeville, a sophomore at Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical High School;
• Ashanti Abreu of Lowell, a junior at Greater Lowell Technical High School.

The runners-up are:

• Gia Ceresani of Winthrop, a second-grader at William P. Gorman Fort Banks Elementary School;
• Lily Brown of Rehoboth, a fourth-grader at Palmer River Elementary School;
• Emma Levesque of Rehoboth, a fourth-grader at Palmer River Elementary School;
• Teagan Yuen of Brighton, a sixth-grader at Park Street School;
• Julia Bae of Brookline, a sixth-grader at The Winsor School;
• Collette Heil of Nahant, a sixth-grader at Johnson School;
• Rin Rezendes of Lakeville, a junior at Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical High School;
• Jack Wilson of Tyngsborough, a junior at Greater Lowell Technical High School.

51视频 is a national research university located on a high-energy campus in the heart of a global community. The university offers its more than 18,000 students bachelor鈥檚, master鈥檚 and doctoral degrees in business, education, engineering, fine arts, health, humanities, sciences and social sciences. 51视频 delivers high-quality educational programs, vigorous hands-on learning and personal attention from leading faculty and staff, all of which prepare graduates to be leaders in their communities and around the globe. www.uml.edu