Robinson in USA Today, Freund on WTIC Radio, and More

Michael Robinson, associate professor of history in Hillyer College, was quoted in a Sunday, Dec. 26, USA Today article about the discovery of arsenic-based life forms on Earth and the controversy that sprung up in the scientific community following the announcement. “There really is an explosion of sources criticizing the result, unlike the past, Robinson told the newspaper. He contrasted today’s rapid criticism with the popular support that polar explorers enjoyed in the 19th Century, with expedition after expedition launched to plant flags on the poles. The support only began to curdle after decades of explorers freezing to death in remote places. “There was a proto-blogosphere that stopped being boosterish in the popular press and that led to the professionalization of exploration,” he said. To read the full article, click here.

Richard Freund, professor of history and director of the Greenberg Center for Judaic Studies, was a guest on “Face Connecticut,” a weekly public affairs show on WTIC Radio on Sunday, Dec. 19. On the show, Freund talked about many of the archaeological projects in Israel that he has been intimately involved in, including the excavations at Bethsaida, Mount Sinai and Mary’s Well in Nazareth. These are all highlighted in his most recent book, Digging Through the Bible. To listen to the interview, click here.

Articles in Hartford Courant on Tuesday, Dec. 28, and the Hartford Business Journal on Monday, Dec. 27, both noted several companies receiving Small Business Innovation and Diversification grants as part of a program, administered by the state’s Small Business Innovation Research Office, to help small Connecticut businesses develop, produce and introduce new products into the marketplace. One of the companies highlighted was HABCO, a Glastonbury-based aerospace company, which received $17,500 to study the market potential of a medical device for people with trouble walking. This ambulatory-suspension and rehabilitation device was developed by faculty and students in the University’s College of Engineering, Technology and Architecture. Click to read the Hartford Business Journal article and the Hartford Courant article.

Broadway World previewed the upcoming Sixth Annual Goodspeed Festival of New Artists and commented that “the Goodspeed campus will come alive as emerging writers, established creative teams, Goodspeed artistic staff, and senior music theatre students from The Hartt School of the University of Hartford collaborate in a weekend-long festival of new musicals.” To read the Dec. 23 article, click here.

In Athletics news, Hartford Hawks women’s basketball coach Jennifer Rizzotti was interviewed on ESPN2 on Wednesday, Dec. 22, as part of the sports network’s coverage of the UConn women’s basketball team setting a new record for consecutive wins. In addition, Hawks men’s basketball coach John Gallagher was profiled in a story on Friday, Dec. 24, about the progress he sees the tram making during his first season as head coach. Click here to read the story. Also, in its Christmas Day issue (Saturday, Dec. 25), the Hartford Courant did a feature story that looked at the possibility that former Hartford Hawks baseball star Jeff Bagwell could be elected into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Read the article and then wait for the announcement on the voting results on Wednesday, Jan. 5.