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
Beatrice Glaviano ’26, a nutrition sciences major, shares her latest research exploring how microplastics impact human health and why having curiosity is the best place to start.
September 17, 2025
Greetings, everybody! It’s a beautiful day at the University of New Haven, and I hope that the semester is going smoothly for you. Personally, these past couple of weeks have flown by, and I’ve been looking forward to telling you all about a new project I got going on ☺️
So, for all my bio or laboratory nerds out there, buckle up: it’s time to get cellular.
For the time being, I’ve nick-named this research as “Project Hail Mary,” which is in reference to one of my favorite books that Andy Weir wrote. Essentially, in the book, a sun-eating space algae is threatening to eat Earth’s sun, so NASA throws a random science guy up there to solve the problem. While I’m not being slingshot into the great vacuum of space, I do have my eyes set on another microscopic epidemic: Plastics. Particularly, microplastics.
If you’ve been reading my blogs from the beginning you’d know that my writing was originally based around the microplastic research I did during SURF 2023. I had so much fun with that project, truly, and it’s definitely been instrumental in propelling me to where my research is now.
Currently, I’m focusing on the impacts of bispenol-A (a common compound associated with plastics) on human embryonic kidney (HEK) cells in terms of vitality and morphology. Additionally, I’ll be using qPCR to see if any inflammation genes associated with either cancer or neurodegenerative diseases will be activated as a result.
Author: “.....”
Author: “These are big words for Elmo.”
One of the most recent laboratory “uh-ohs” was that our centrifuge gave up on life and decided to quit without two-weeks’ notice. How rude, right? The good news is, we were able to get a new one, and now we can all use it. Centrifuges, in terms of cellular biology, help us get all of the cells in a liquid sample to the bottom of the tube. That way, we can get the cells out faster and not have any excess fluid lying around.
I mean, I’ll also just stand above it and say “lol haha speeeeeeeennnnnnn” because I’m weird, but I think most lab people are, at least a little, nuts.
Anyhow, the reason why I’m doing this research is not only because plastic is everywhere and is becoming more of a problem than we think, but because of the serious, microscopic impacts it can have on our health. From gut dysbiosis to being a potentially new carcinogen, plastics may be playing a large role in the development and prevalence of diseases in the human population. I could go into the nitty gritty of it and start citing stuff, but that’s a lot of work and I’ve been researching plastics (literary + lab) for three years. You’ve probably been reading this article for five minutes.
This isn’t to say that this has been easy, though. As I haven’t taken cellular or molecular biology before, I had to be trained last semester for about six months until I could be “cut loose.” Even now, I still rely on the guidance of experienced lab members, and I’m very grateful for all of their help. I know that not everyone is very open to teaching newcomers (regardless of the location), so I’m incredibly fortunate to have such dedicated, compassionate people who are willing to answer my endless questions.
If anyone is looking for research or is curious about where or how to start, it all starts with a question. As vague as that is, it’s the truth. Get your question, read about it, and if you can’t find an answer, then you have more of a reason to go find it.
Stay curious and stay resilient. Nothing here today remained without effort.
On that note, I do have to scuttle over to the lab to begin getting some work done, but it was great talking to you all today. Remember that despite how daunting research may be, it’s the beginning that is always the hardest. I hope everyone has a great day today, and, as always, I’ll see you in the next one!
If there are any questions, comments, and/or concerns, feel free to shoot me a message at bglav1@unh.newhaven.edu
With peace, love, and peanut butter,
Beatrice
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.