Published Articles

Commentary: One small step for man was one big inspiration for a boy Mark Marchand, Albany Times-Union, July 19, 2019 The 50 years that separate mankind from its first bold steps on another celestial body stretch out like the over 240,000 miles of hazardous outer space that lie between us and our moon. Both represent chasms that disconnect us from a historic achievement in 1969 and the omnipresent neighbor that often illuminates our nights. As we mark this milestone July 20, time and distance allow us to pause and reflect on what…

Commentary: How we talk about opioid crisis affects what we do about it Mark Marchand, March 10, 2020, Times-Union of Albany Junkie. Dirty. User. Addict. These words stand in the way of further progress against one of the most formidable challenges we face. The opioid crisis is in the crosshairs of scientists, medical researchers, and health care providers looking to solve a dilemma that sees more than 100 people dying daily from opioid-related overdoses. Progress is being made. A growing number of researchers are now focusing their attention on an issue they…

Here's an Op Ed I wrote a few years ago. I played a small role in helping a regionwide political/ballot effort to help preserve some open space in our town in Southern Saratoga County, N.Y. It was a satisfying example of a truly grassroots effort ... and I learned a lot. Albany Times-Union, July 7, 2017: "All politics is local." When former House Speaker Thomas "Tip" O'Neill uttered this phrase decades ago, he probably didn't realize the lifeline he was throwing to those caught up in the miasma of 21st-century national politics.…

Whether I’m researching or writing about a science, business, or travel topic, I love the stories of the “people” behind the subject. Below is a feature story the Daily Gazette of Schenectady, N.Y. hired me to write in 2019. Keybank’s regional executive, Ruth Mahoney, is a fascinating business leader. Her path to the firm’s senior leadership position in Albany, N.Y. actually began with basketball … in Ireland. I enjoyed meeting with her, and writing this story. Here’s a direct link to the feature on the Daily Gazette’s website. I’ve also pasted in a version below. (Cover photo:…