UNH Today

DURHAM, N.H.— Researchers at the University of New Hampshire have identified a quicker and less expensive way to count sperm in lobsters that could help scientists looking at any animal better understand mating, a key aspect of species survival.

“Scientists used to have to do this using a very tedious or expensive method so it was rarely attempted,” said Win Watson, professor emeritus of marine biology. “Now that DNA technology has become so accessible and affordable, we decided to try it and it worked great.”

DURHAM, N.H.—A survey of 1,549 small businesses in the state by the NH Small Business Development Center (SBDC) found more than half had seen their revenue decrease by 50% or more, especially those with few employees and those in the arts, entertainment and recreation industry or the accommodation and food service industry, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Forty-seven percent of responding businesses had the same number of employees now as they did in February while 43% had fewer employees.

DURHAM, N.H.—Sea lice negatively impact the health and survival of Atlantic salmon, steelhead trout and other salmonids, and researchers with the New Hampshire Agricultural Experiment Station at the University of New Hampshire believe using lumpfish as cleanerfish—fish that eat parasites off other fish—may be a sustainable way to manage these pests.

DURHAM, N.H. - The following students have been named to the Dean's List at the University of New Hampshire for the spring 2020 semester.

DURHAM, N.H.— A new survey by the University of New Hampshire highlights changes in activities of Granite Staters during the first few months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Most of the impact included shifts in social activity, with over 72% of residents altering their plans to avoid crowds, and a decrease in medical, behavioral health and dental office visits, with over 37% of patients transitioning their appointments to telehealth.

N.H.—The University of New Hampshire has hired Nadine Petty, executive director of the Center for Diversity and Enrichment at the University of Iowa, as its next chief diversity officer and associate vice president for community, equity and diversity.

The chief diversity officer is a member of the university’s senior leadership management team. Petty will start at UNH Aug. 10, 2020.

DURHAM, N.H.—Andrea Kokolis ’73, ‘77G, who has spent her career in the technology sector helping start-up and early stage companies develop and achieve growth objectives and execute against exit strategies, was named the University of New Hampshire’s Paul J. Hollway Entrepreneur of the Year.

DURHAM, N.H.—Summer camps everywhere are facing the difficult decision of whether to open this year. For families the challenge is choosing whether to let their children attend. Several experts at the University of New Hampshire have developed a tip sheet meant to help parents navigate the available information and guide them to make informed and comforting decisions whether to send their children to day or overnight camp during the uncertainty of the coronavirus pandemic.

DURHAM, N.H.—As activists around the world organize protests sparked by the death of George Floyd, and some escalate into more violent conflicts, experts at the University of New Hampshire point to historical parallels between the current Black Lives Matter protests, and other riots and marches like those of the civil rights era in the 1960s.

DURHAM, N.H.—One of the main barriers to commercial kiwiberry production for regional growers is knowing which varieties available from commercial nurseries are the most ideal to grow in the region. For the first time, growers can now source commercially grown kiwiberry plants that have been genetically verified as being recommended to grow in New England by researchers with the New Hampshire Agricultural Experiment Station at the University of New Hampshire.