Assistant Professor Christopher Skinner points at a map on a white board If it seems like you’ve been hearing a lot about “atmospheric rivers” in the news lately, you’re not mistaken. The weather…, Q: For those who aren’t steeped in science, what are atmospheric rivers? , A:, Atmospheric rivers are storms that carry a tremendous amount of water. They’re typically about 300 miles wide and more than 1,500 miles long. The flow of water in an atmospheric river is equal to…, Q: How are atmospheric rivers different from hurricanes, which we experience on the East Coast?, , A:, Atmospheric rivers and hurricanes both form over the oceans, where there is a lot of evaporation, and both can cause extreme precipitation and high winds. However, the similarities end there.…, Q: Are atmospheric rivers harmful or helpful?, , A:, It’s a good question, and the answer is “both.” Occasionally, we can get “stuck” in certain weather patterns. If you’re stuck in a dry pattern, you won’t see very many atmospheric rivers. That can…, Q: Are atmospheric rivers becoming more frequent? If so, is that because of climate change? , , A:, In a warmer world, the atmosphere above the ocean contains more water vapor. Because the Earth has warmed nearly 2°F over the past 150 years, atmospheric rivers now transport greater amounts of…, Q: What have you learned so far in your research?, , A:, One of the interesting things we’ve found is that atmospheric rivers have indeed been an important component of Earth’s climate even during periods of Earth’s history that were very different from…, Q: Why is it important to understand atmospheric rivers? , A:, Knowledge of atmospheric rivers is critical for water resource management, as well as flooding and landslide preparation. The Scripps Institution of Oceanography recently developed a 1-5 scale for…
Type: News
A new training initiative funded by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and developed at UMass Chan Medical School aims to help health care providers counsel patients who are hesitant about…
Type: News
UMass Chan Medical School researchers and their partners in the National Institutes of Health Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics initiative are starting new studies to determine if the performance of…
Type: News
AMHERST, Mass. – A new study conducted by Baystate Medical Center and the University of Massachusetts Amherst and published today in Drug and Alcohol Dependence strengthens the case for providing…, Dr. Peter Friedmann, , chief research officer at Baystate Health and associate dean for research at UMass Chan Medical School-Baystate. The paper’s lead author is epidemiology researcher , Elizabeth Evans, , associate professor in the UMass Amherst School of Public Health and Health Sciences. UMass Amherst associate professor Elizabeth Evans “When jails offer buprenorphine and other evidence-based…
Type: News
Chancellor Professor of Mathematics Sigal Gottlieb smiles while working on laptop in classroom UMass Dartmouth Chancellor Professor and Acting Vice Chancellor for Research Dr. Sigal Gottlieb (…
Type: News
Five teams of UMass Chan Medical School students have been awarded Martin Luther King Jr. Semester of Service Student Awards to implement community service programs. The award program is an…, Improving pediatric oral health in Worcester, Project description: Six oral health education sessions at a diaper outreach program will increase awareness about the importance of oral health, actions that can take to improve oral health and the…, Setting the Tone, Project description: Developing and delivering a series of educational lectures on clinical signs and symptoms in black and brown skin will create a lasting clinical teaching resource, including…, Moving the Walls: Enhancing interprofessional care and patient privacy in free medical clinics, Project description: Tan Chingfen Graduate School of Nursing students will be integrated into the Worcester Free Care Collaborative, and adjustable walls will be purchased to afford more privacy for…, Worcester CARES – Caring for Afghan refugees through educational support, Project description: A K-12 student tutoring program focused on school preparedness will mitigate educational disparities during resettlement while continuing to support the endeavors of community…, STEM Start, Project description: A new health care career-oriented mentorship component will be added to the established STEM Start program at Worcester East Middle School, to include a health care fair and…
Type: News
Evan Bilsbury knew he wanted to be a doctor from a young age, after enduring the loss of his infant brother and witnessing the support that had been provided to his family by the child’s medical team…
Type: News
AMHERST, Mass. – Women vaccinated against COVID-19 transfer SARS-CoV-2 antibodies to their breastfed infants, potentially giving their babies passive immunity against the coronavirus, according to…
Type: News
Katherine Luzuriaga, MD UMass Chan Medical School researchers are embarking on a clinical trial of an mRNA vaccine by Moderna against the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), a common cause of infectious…
Type: News
Two years after receiving a grant from the nonprofit Hyundai Hope on Wheels , Jason Shohet, MD, PhD, has received a new, two-year $300,000 Scholar Hope Grant to focus on overcoming drug resistance…
Type: News