Among other things blown away by Hurricane Sandy in October 2012 was the notion that climate change was a thing of the future and that humanity had plenty of breathing room before having to gear up against its onslaught.

"Sandy really changed the landscape and caused a step increase in climate change adaptation thinking," says research professor Paul Kirshen.

At least that's what Kirshen, a civil engineer with joint appointments at EOS and the UNH department of civil engineering, is seeing in his line of work.

For example, Kirshen has ongoing climate change adaptation projects underway in the Boston area but after Sandy immediately saw evidence of that step change...

When professor David Ripley’s son was 3, the child fell asleep upon the couch in a timber-frame house his father was building for the family. As Ripley looked down upon his son that day curled up, he said to himself, "My God, if I could put that into a song." Later that day, the lyric came to him. 

Ripley, a professor of music who specializes in voice and opera, recorded the original composition, “The Sleeping of a Child,” on his 1990 "Mustard Seed, Songs of Faith" recording. For many years, he thought about arranging it for choir, but never did -- until the tragedy in Newtown, Conn. 

“I had to respond in some way to this horrific event. That was the catalyst for my decision to arrange the song for the UNH Concert Choir, which I will be directing this spring while their regular conductor, Bill Kempster, is on leave. This, I hope, will be a response, among others I am sure, from the entire UNH community to the tragedy of the Newtown massacre,” Ripley says...

The state of New Hampshire is in good civic health, ranking higher than the national average on several key indicators such as voter turnout, engaging in political discussions, contacting public officials, volunteering, and charitable giving, according to new research from the Carsey Institute at UNH.

 The new research is presented in the Carsey Institute report “2012 New Hampshire Civic Health Index” in partnership with the National Conference on Citizenship, The Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement, Campus Compact for New Hampshire, the University System of New Hampshire, and the New Hampshire College & University Council. The research was conducted by Bruce Mallory, interim director of the Carsey Institute and professor of education at UNH, and Quixada Moore-Vissing, a doctoral student in education at UNH and a graduate research assistant at the Carsey Institute....

Migration to and from different parts of the United States has become adriving force underlying population redistribution in the United States. New research from the Carsey Institute at UNH on age-related migration patterns provides a fuller understanding of the complex patterns of demographic change in the United States.

The new research is summarized in the Carsey Institute brief “Age and Lifecycle Patterns Driving U.S. Migration Shifts,” coauthored by Kenneth Johnson, senior demographer at the Carsey Institute and professor of sociology, and his colleagues Richelle Winkler, assistant professor of sociology and demography at Michigan Technological University, and Luke Rogers, a research assistant at the Carsey Institute and a doctoral student in sociology.

“These migration patterns have important implications for people, institutions, and communities of both rural and urban America, as well as for the design of policies and practices that foster the development of...

The Peace Corps and UNH have teamed up to launch a Paul D. Coverdell Fellows Program partnership, an initiative that provides graduate school scholarships to returned Peace Corps volunteers who wish to pursue a Master of Arts in development policy and practice.

“The Peace Corps is delighted to have the University of New Hampshire as a partner in the Paul D. Coverdell Fellows Program,” said Carrie Hessler-Radelet, acting Peace Corps director. “This new partnership enables returned Peace Corps volunteers to continue their work in public service through meaningful internships in underserved American communities. Experience overseas and graduate studies position Peace Corps Fellows to launch a career by combining coursework with service.” 

Fellows selected for the Coverdell program will receive between $1,000 and $2,000 tuition scholarships for the summer, fall, and spring semesters that can be applied to the cost of the Master of Arts in Development Policy and...

Barbara Jago, associate professor of communication arts at UNH Manchester, has been named the 2013 UNH Kidder Award faculty recipient. 

The university’s Kidder Award is presented annually to the faculty, staff members, and students whose outstanding efforts foster a greater understanding of sexual orientation. 

Jago was recognized as a faculty leader for her longstanding commitment to educating her students and colleagues about gender identity and sexual orientation, and for creating a safe and respectful forum to have conversations of sex, gender, and sexuality.  

As an example of her commitment, this spring she coordinated a Sidore Lecture Series titled “InQUEERY: Explorations of Sex, Gender, and Sexuality” with adjunct professor Mason Dunn. The series explores identity, aging, health, faith, and the law from a queer perspective. 

Jago teaches courses and conducts research in relational communication, with an emphasis on...