News & Events

Peter Ellard, the dean of student success and academic support, who also teaches environmental ethics and religious studies, had his article “Don’t Think Your Campus Needs to Prepare for Climate Change? Here’s why you’re wrong” published in The Chronicle of Higher Education. He argues that colleges and universities must adjust to weather changes caused by climate change.

Michael DeCesare,professor and chair of sociology, was quoted in a Feb. 7, 2018, Boston Globe story about the ongoing search for the next president of Harvard University. DeCesare, who chairs a committee on university governance at the American Association of University Professors, said the school ought to pick an academic, to send a message to faculty that their work is important. “For Harvard to kind of reaffirm the importance of an academically oriented president would go a long way,” he said.

Mish Zimdars, associate professor of communication and media, has recently published a chapter in The Social Media Debate: Unpacking the Social, Psychological, and Cultural Effects of Social Media that focuses on how political disinformation masquerades as local news online and across social media.

Melissa “Mish” Zimdars,assistant professor of communication, has received an international travel and research grant from the Marion and Jasper Whiting Foundation. The grant supports travel to the U.K. and Ireland to conduct interviews with both media producers who create, and media audiences who watch, content exploring fat embodiment. This project will be the first in a series of international case studies comparing media industry practices and viewer perceptions of television in the context of the obesity epidemic.

Sociology Associate Professor Daniel Herda presented his research on interpersonal contact between immigrants and citizens at the American Sociological Association virtual conference.

Assistant professor of communication and media, Melissa “Mish” Zimdars, was featured on Newsy television to discuss how more news sites are sharing partisan messages while “masquerading” as local news sites.

Mary McHugh, executive director of civic & community engagement, presented at an APSA round table on Essential Topics for Introductory American Politics Courses and presented a co-authored paper “Connecting Students across Borders in Interdisciplinary Service Learning.” This paper is based on the International Service Learning Network Symposium that was held online this past spring. Five Merrimack students participated in the symposium and worked with students from the United States and the United Kingdom.

Assistant professor of art/art history,Jonathan Latiano, MFA, gave a talk, “Time as a Muse,” at theBroto 2020 Conference, held virtually this year. Broto: Art-Climate-Science, is a unique conference of international experts focused on substantive, mutual, credible and real-time art-science collaboration that inspires innovation to address the climate crisis.

Father Raymond Dlugos,O.S.A., vice president for mission and student affairs, delivered a lecture, “Feeding the Beast Who Is Feeding on You,” April 5, 2017, at St. Augustine Church in Andover, Massachusetts. Father Dlugos urged the young people in the audience to resist “the beast,” which he defined as the culture of instant gratification that pervades society today. “The beast wants us to spend money,” he said. “If you’re sad, buy something.” (Photo by Tim Jean/The Andover Townsman)

Ana Silva, associate professor of finance and chair of the accounting and finance department, was quoted in a WalletHub.com “Ask the Experts” column about secured credit cards. Asked how the issuer of a secured credit card with no annual fee makes money, Silva responded, “Issuers charge high APRs on the unpaid balances each month. Late fees are also charged when a customer misses a payment. Some issuers charge a fee for setting-up an account. Issuers also charge the interchange fee on every credit card transaction. In addition, some banks cross-sell other products such as insurances.”