Lean in!

These two little words are causing some controversy these days in the context of women's leadership. But not here at the McCormack Graduate School where we are not only mentoring and training future leaders (both male and female!) but where we are setting an example with successful female role models in front of the classroom and headlining our special events.   

We are dedicating this month's issue of the newsletter to women. Don't miss the stories about some incredible women who have "leaned in" and made a difference not only in their own careers but in having a positive impact on society as a whole.

As we go to press with this newsletter, we, like the rest of Boston, are healing from the recent marathon bombings. Thousands of people "leaned in," assisting victims to the medical tents, sharing photos and videos with law enforcement, or simply attending healing services in their communities. As both a Boston resident and dean of a policy school, I, too, am reflecting on the tragedies of that week and I wonder how we at the McCormack School can modestly contribute to greater policies, progress, and peace. I welcome your ideas not only to keep "Boston Strong" but to make the world a stronger, better, more beautiful place, too.  

 

Christiana Figueres and Maria Ivanova

Did you know that Thomas Edison was a pioneer in renewable energy? He experimented with wind turbines and even developed an electric car run on rechargeable batteries. In fact, the year he died, he noted, "I'd put my money on the sun and solar energy. What a source of power! I hope we don't have to wait until oil and coal run out before we tackle that."

It's been more than eight decades since his 1931 quote, noted Christiana Figueres, executive secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, in her recent lecture, "From Climate Conflict to Climate Action: Capturing the Greatest Opportunities of Our Generation."

New urban mechanics. Government 2.0. Crowdsourcing. These are the new buzz words about the latest information technologies that enable citizens to form partnerships with government to improve public services. 

On April 9, the Department of Public Policy and Public Affairs sponsored a guest lecture by Chris Osgood and Nigel Jacob, co-chairs of the Mayor's Office of New Urban Mechanics. Osgood and Jacob shared the philosophy and process behind their work making Boston a leader in this new and emerging chapter of e-government.

As guests approached the Campus Center ballroom on the afternoon of April 10, you could hear the buzz in the air. Hundreds of people were there to view 90 posters on display at the Community-Engaged Partnerships Symposium sponsored by the Provost's Office and Division of Government Relations and Public Affairs.

Seventy-two million. In 2030, that's the expected population aged 65 and older. That represents almost one in five Americans.

As more and more baby boomers reach retirement age, the United States is experiencing a shortage of people trained to meet the unique needs of older adults. In an effort to help close this gap, the Gamma Upsilon chapter of UMass Boston's Sigma Phi Omega national gerontology honor society sponsored a Careers in Aging Week event at UMass Boston.