Media Coverage

Featured in National Geographic, Associate Professor of Physics and Astronomy, Dale Kocevski, is part of the Cosmic Evolution Early Release Science (CEERS) research team actively working with NASA and the James Webb Telescope to unveil the hidden secrets of the universe. Their latest finding is a giant black hole roughly nine million times the mass of the sun that formed when the universe was just a toddler.

 

Referenced in the article are two other early supermassive black holes that Kocevski and his research team at Colby, including Associate Professor Elizabeth McGrath, are responsible for initially finding.

 

"It was thought that lower-mass black holes had to exist in early galaxies, but I didn't think we could find them with these observations," said Kocevski. "The most surprising thing for me is that JWST has proven to be more sensitive than we could have hoped for."

Colby's role in the dramatic discovery of distant black holes was covered by a wide range of media, including the Associated Press, Forbes, and National Geographic. All of the stories had commentary from Dale Kocevski, associate professor of physics and astronomy, who noted that when it comes to black holes, "there are probably many more hidden little monsters out there."

A feature article by Mainebiz focused on the tremendous success surrounding the Waterville revitalization initiative and what’s in the future for the city. The story had commentary from a variety of leaders involved in the work, including a real estate developer who noted how “Colby has taken an unprecedented leadership role with its early downtown investments.”

Assistant Professor of Government Nick Jacobs was the lead source for a Fortune article about student loan forgiveness. Commenting on whether Congress would cancel student loan debt, he said it’s a “political nonstarter,” and that “those who are serious about the economic burdens imposed by student loans have yet to really come together.”

The Boothbay Register, a local paper in the popular coastal town Boothbay Harbor, featured research led by Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies Alison Bates and Assistant Professor of Computer Science Stacy Doore to gather community perspectives on offshore wind power using virtual reality.

A story in Lux Expose on pet-friendly hotels highlighted Waterville’s Lockwood Hotel, noting that it “extends a warm welcome to guests and their beloved four-legged companions, ensuring an unforgettable ‘pet essentials’ stay.”

A story in the New York Times about two New York galleries highlighting Bob Thompson referenced the Colby Museum’s recent retrospective of the artist’s work, suggesting that New York museums should have also paid attention to this important exhibition.

Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies Gail Carlson provided commentary for a story by Bloomberg about the impacts of cumulative air pollution and its connection to worsening climate change. “Don’t just look away as soon as the air clears,” Carlson said. “This wasn’t just a one-time thing.”

NBC’s News Center Maine featured Colby’s efforts to help students from rural areas and small towns in Maine understand the various college opportunities available to them. The piece noted that it’s an “eye-opening experience, opening doors to a future some students had only imagined.”