Public Safety is tracking a significant snowfall that will be arriving in our area late Sunday morning (Jan. 25). It will snow heavily throughout the day and evening eventually tapering off Monday (Jan. 26) with 10-14 inches expected statewide. A sleet and freezing rain mix is also possible along the shore. Temperatures will be in the teens and twenties.
Due to this significant winter storm and the extensive campus clean-up operations that will need to take place, all in-person day and evening classes scheduled for Monday, January 26, 2026 have been cancelled. All scheduled in-person classes will transition to being held online or remotely. Additional information on the virtual format for each class will be provided by your instructor.
Faculty have been asked to prepare for Online or Remote sessions in the event of in-person meeting cancellations. These options will be determined by the Faculty member and all questions should be directed to the Faculty teaching each course section. Faculty also have been asked to be very understanding and accommodating of the individual situations of their students who may have difficulty managing these alternative online or remote class meetings on short notice.
Please note that only essential employees, as previously determined by their respective department leaders, should report to campus. All other employees should fulfill the requirements of their role remotely.
Campus operations for residential students, unless otherwise noted, will operate as scheduled, though hours may be modified or changed based on the conditions. Separate messages will be sent from the Peterson Library, the Beckerman Recreation Center, and Dining Services regarding any changes to their normal hours of operation. The Bergami Center for Science, Technology, and Innovation will remain open for residential students to use for study space and to participate in online classes.
Off-campus students that live in the City of West Haven should abide by the city’s parking ban during inclement weather to avoid having their vehicle tagged and towed. Please check the City of West Haven’s website for further information on their snow parking ban.
The Charger Blog
Michaela Sullivan ’21 created a research proposal to study microplastics that has been honored by the Society for Applied Spectroscopy, and she hopes her work will inform forensic investigators and inspire more research into how microplastics impact the environment.
September 23, 2020
Michaela Sullivan ’21 has always been curious about the world and interested in how things work. Growing up, she and her sister often watched the Science Channel, and as a young student, she discovered a passion and an aptitude for math and science.
Now a forensic science major at the University of New Haven with a minor in environmental science, Sullivan is beginning a project this semester focusing on microplastics – very small pieces of plastic that pollute the environment. In recognition of the potential of her work, she has been chosen as a 2020 Society for Applied Spectroscopy Undergraduate Student Award winner – before she even began her research.
“Receiving this award is really validating to me as a young scientist because it shows that experts and peers in my field recognize the value of my research ideas,” said Sullivan.
The award, which recognizes outstanding research in spectroscopy, is given to up to five junior or senior undergraduate students. Sullivan will receive a one-year online membership to the Society for Applied Spectroscopy, an organization promoting research and education in analytical chemistry, spectroscopy, and optics, and a framed certificate. Awards are presented at the organization’s national meeting, which will be held virtually this year.
Her research, unfortunately, was postponed because of the coronavirus global pandemic. She is currently reviewing the existing studies on the impact of microplastics on the environment and will then begin her own lab work. She will collect environmental samples and analyze them using Raman spectroscopy, a chemical analysis technique that is based on the interaction of light with a material’s chemical bonds.
Sullivan learned about Raman spectroscopy and microplastics while visiting HORIBA, a leading company that provides analytical and measurement systems throughout the world. She learned about their instruments, helped with testing and marketing them, and worked with spectroscopy experts. She also gained experience analyzing plastics found in Connecticut harbors. The opportunity was made possible by Brooke Kammrath, Ph.D., an associate professor of forensic science and Sullivan’s adviser.
Sullivan says her goal when she is able to conduct her own analysis as part of her research is to learn whether the results will be reproducible enough to be useful in forensic investigations. She will also try to characterize microplastics by their physical and molecular properties, and determine whether levels of certain microplastics in the environment are characteristic to specific classes of regions. She hopes her work will inspire further research on microplastics.
“I think it is important for the research on microplastics to be intersectional and include various areas of science, including chemistry and forensic science,” she said. “I also hope that my research will inspire future considerations for how the presence of microplastic fibers and particles may impact the evidentiary value of fibers and particulate matter recovered from soil at crime scenes, and how microplastics have an impact on our environment as a whole.”
University News
New University-wide council will advance strategic partnerships, immersive student opportunities, and innovative research, supporting the University’s strategic plan the development of its pioneering Center for Innovation and Applied Technology.
The Charger Blog
Entrepreneur David Sussman, Pompea College of Business Advisory Board Member and chief visionary officer of The Family Security Plan®, is collaborating with University of New Haven students, faculty, and staff to create a program and app that helps Chargers support each other to achieve academic, personal, and professional goals. It’s called Uccountability.
University News
Vice President for Innovation and Applied Technology Paul Lavoie will serve on the Board of Directors and as America’s Chief Manufacturing Officer for the newly launched American Manufacturing Futures Institute.