Director of News and Editorial Communications

Tom Breen

Tom Breen has been at UConn since 2012, serving as a news writer, deputy spokesperson, manager for special projects, UConn Today editor, and, as of January 2021, director of news and editorial communications. Prior to UConn, he worked as a reporter for The Associated Press, covering health care, religion, and state government in West Virginia and North Carolina, and before the AP, he worked at newspapers in Connecticut and Massachusetts. He is the author of two books about Christianity and contemporary culture, and has published short fiction in many periodicals and anthologies. A second-generation Husky, he earned a bachelor’s degree in political science in 2000. He is the co-founder of the award-winning UConn 360 podcast and has given presentations on UConn history to community groups throughout Connecticut. He lives in Manchester, is active in volunteer organizations, and recommends that you try the coconut flavor at the Dairy Bar.

Author Archive

NPR

Drones And Revolutionizing Farming; How Trees Impact Mental, Physical Health

September 22, 2021 | Tom Breen

A one-room segregated schoolhouse in Georgia in 1941. Funding disparities that date from the Jim Crow era still affect predominantly Black schools today.

How Reparations Can Be Paid Through School Finance Reform

Schools in predominantly Black communities receive less funding, even though Black homeowners pay higher tax rates

September 21, 2021 | Preston Green III, John and Maria Neag Professor of Urban Education, Neag School of Education and Bruce Baker, Professor of Education, Rutgers University

UConn Voices
Connecticut Sea Grant will investigate contaminants that may pose a risk to drinking water and wildlife.

CT Sea Grant to Address Key Questions About Environmental Contaminants

Pharmaceuticals, plastic microfiber, personal care products and others are becoming more common in water supplies

September 15, 2021 | Judy Benson, Connecticut Sea Grant

Aeon

The Cliché Writes Back

September 9, 2021 | Tom Breen

A panoramic view of the UConn Hartford campus. The Sustainable Global Cities Initiative at UConn Hartford aims to become a center of research and information-gathering on urban life in Connecticut and beyond.

Understanding the 21st Century City: Initiative at UConn Hartford Looks to Build Community Partnerships

'If we work together, we can deal with any challenge. That's the key'

September 8, 2021 | Tom Breen

Community Impact
Nature

Big Potential for Tiny Droplets

August 30, 2021 | Tom Breen

Elementary school children returning to class after summer break, wearing facemasks.

Students Are Returning to School With Anxiety, Grief, and Gaps in Social Skills

Will there be enough school mental health resources?

August 30, 2021 | Sandra M. Chafouleas, Professor of Educational Psychology at the University of Connecticut Neag School of Education, and Amy Briesch, Associate Professor of Educational Psychology at Northeastern University

Connecticut Public Television

20 Years After 9/11: Memorials, Memory, and Meaning

August 27, 2021 | Tom Breen

Powders, pills, and needles arranged on a dark table.

Rat Poison is Just One of the Potentially Dangerous Substances Likely to Be Mixed Into Illicit Drugs

The difference between what you think you're buying and what is actually in the product can be the difference between life and death

August 25, 2021 | C. Michael White, Distinguished Professor and Head of the Department of Pharmacy Practice

Steven Angus MD, assistant dean of graduate medical education, and Angad Deengar, a pulmonary and critical care fellow, administer COVID-19 vaccine at the UConn Health FEMA mobile vaccination unit at St. Mary's Church in Norwich on May 5, 2021.

What Does Full FDA Approval Mean for a Vaccine Already Authorized for Emergency Use?

Full FDA approval is a milestone that may help build confidence among the vaccine hesitant

August 19, 2021 | Jennifer Girotto, Associate Clinical Professor of Pharmacy Practice