Office of the President

Eric W. Kaler

Multimedia

U of M community

Photos

Inauguration - Campus Crawls, September 19 & 21, 2011

Entomology graduate student Elaine Evans explains the differences between bee species to President and Mrs. Kaler. Evans is a PhD student studying the diversity of native bees. (Colleges of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences)

Honeycombs include propolis, a substance currently being studied at the U of M Bee Lab for its possible uses in human health care. (Colleges of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences)

The Kalers, entomology graduate student Mike Goblirsch and world-renowned bee scientist Marla Spivak take a look inside the "bee tree" a hollow tree that's home to a bee colony. Because the tree is open at the top, visitors can look inside and see how a beehive works. Goblirsch is studying the effects of Nosema (a bee disease) on the physiology of honey bees. (Colleges of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences)

The Kalers take another peek inside the "bee tree." (Colleges of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences)

Marla Spivak chats with President Kaler about the Bee Lab's goals for future expansion. (Colleges of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences)

Extension turfgrass specialist Brian Horgan shows President Kaler around the U's Turfgrass Research, Outreach and Education (TROE) Center. The TROE is a living laboratory on the St. Paul Campus that scientists use to grow better grasses in our harsh climate, manage water use and discover ways to reduce runoff of pesticides and herbicides (Extension)

President and Mrs. Kaler get a good look at the turfgrass research fields as Eric Watkins, associate professor, explains the research on low-input sustainable turfgrasses that can survive the harsh Minnesota climate. (Extension)

Josh Friell, graduate student in the department of horticultural studies, explains to President and Mrs. Kaler his work on rewriting the roadside turf recommendations for salt tolerant grasses. (Extension)

President Kaler tests the benefits of the U's putting green research. Scientists evaluate cultivars and species of grasses that can withstand mowing heights of less than 0.125 inches. (Extension)

President Kaler and Extension turfgrass specialist Brian Horgan, celebrate turfgrass research with Goldy (aka golf club cover.) Extension horticulture educator Bob Mugaas and graduate students Kari Hague and Josh Friell join the celebration. (Extension)

Jeff Granick (Microbiology, BioTechnology Institute) gives President Kaler a 2.7 million year old rock from the Soudan Mine, where Gralnick is studying properties of ancient bacteria discovered half a mile below the Earth's surface. (College of Biological Sciences)

Kenny Beckman, director of the Biomedical Genomics Center, gives President Kaler an animated tour of the high throughput sequencing facility. The facility can accomplish in three days for $5,000 what it took the Human Genome Project 10 years and $3 billion to do. (College of Biological Sciences)

Graduate student Judd Hultquist explains how he and others in Reuben Harris's lab are using genetic mutations to thwart HIV and other pathogens. Harris is associate professor of biochemistry, molecular biology, and biophysics. (College of Biological Sciences)

Nathan Springer (Plant Biology) presented a poster on epigenetics - how parents' experiences, as well as their genes, can impact heredity. He is currently exploring the role of epigenetic variation in creating different shapes and sizes of maize plants. (College of Biological Sciences)

Claudia Schmidt-Dannert (Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics) explains to President Kaler how her lab fits microbial cells with new genetic parts to harness emergent properties for bioenergy and biocatalysis. (College of Biological Sciences)

Clarence Lehman explains Regents Professor David Tilman's research on how biodiversity strengthens ecosystems and how prairie grasses could be used to make biofuel with less environmental impact than current fuel crops. (College of Biological Sciences)

Chelsey, a student in Jeff Gralnick's lab, served as timekeeper for the CBS portion of the St. Paul campus crawl, ensuring that researchers limited their presentations to three minutes. She used the biological clock of the striped gopher (13-line ground squirrel) as a visual aid. (College of Biological Sciences)

Larry Wackett, (Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics) talks to Karen Kaler about his use of enzymes to make biofuel and other renewable products (College of Biological Sciences)

College of Continuing Education Dean Mary Nichols gave President Kaler a brief overview of CCE's many programs for the public, ranging from degree and credit programs, to professional development classes, to enrichment events and classes. (College of Continuing Education)

Many CCE students attend classes at night or online, so they welcomed President Kaler through a video message. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFVY5T5HR8g">Watch the video online</a>. (College of Continuing Education)

Bob Stine, associate dean of the College's degree and credit programs, shared the variety of CCE's credit programs, which range from programs for high school students such as PSEO and CIS, to the Minnesota English Language Program for international students, to bachelor's and master's degrees designed for adults. (College of Continuing Education)

Lori Graven, director of the College's Conference Services, discussed the College's many programs for professional audiences, including professional development classes and conferences on subjects from concrete to public policy analysis. (College of Continuing Education)

Margy Ligon, director of the College's enrichment programs, shared some of the upcoming events for LearningLife. LearningLife's short courses and events cover subjects geopolitics to wine, and serves thousands of students each year. (College of Continuing Education)

President and Mrs. Kaler are greeted by their dogs Moe and Lida at the Veterinary Medical Center (VMC) during their crawl visit to the College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM). (Veterinary Medical Center)

David Lee, D.V.M., M.B.A., director of the VMC, shows President and Mrs. Kaler the waiting room of the VMC, the nation's busiest teaching animal hospital which treats more than 35,000 animals annually. (Veterinary Medical Center)

Veterinary student Lisa Thompson and Lee show President Kaler one of the recently remodeled VMC general practice exam rooms, as CVM Dean Trevor Ames, D.V.M., M.S., DACVIM, looks on in the background. (Veterinary Medical Center)

During the visit President and Mrs. Kaler met Mr. John Huls, a human patient directly benefitting from a revolutionary new treatment for brain cancer originally pioneered at the VMC for use in dogs. They also met Elizabeth Pluhar, D.V.M., Ph.D., and John Ohlfest, Ph.D., the University of Minnesota scientists who developed the combination treatment plan for dogs with glioma, a very aggressive and relatively common form of brain cancer. (Photo: l-r Mrs. Kaler, President Kaler, Ohlfest, Huls, Ralph Ganz, D.V.M, Mary Johnson owner of Piper dog on table, and Pluhar.) (Veterinary Medical Center)

President and Mrs. Kaler and Dean Ames listen as Amy Kirchner, associate director of the NCFPD, describes the work of the center and how the NCFPD's IT Platform is being used by RESPOND, a multidisciplinary project that is helping developing countries respond to emerging animal diseases that pose a threat to human health. (Veterinary Medical Center)

President Kaler's visit to the Academic Health Center included a stop at the AHC Simulation Center where he donned a white coat and helped students diagnose a simulated patient in distress. (Academic Health Center)

Dr. Kaler works on his bedside manner as he checks vital signs during the simulation. (Academic Health Center)

After saving the simulated patient, President Kaler debriefs with students from the Schools of Nursing, College of Pharmacy and Medical School. Simulations like this help prepare health professional students to work well on an interprofessional team. (Academic Health Center)

At the Health Careers Center, the President and his wife Karen Kaler took part in a discussion about interprofessional education with students and staff from the Phillips Neighborhood Clinic and the Broadway Family Medicine Clinic. (Academic Health Center)

Karen Kaler talks with a medical student who volunteers at the Phillips Neighborhood Clinic. (Academic Health Center)

President Kaler grabbed a cup of coffee with Councilmember Gordon and Humphrey School Interim Dean Lindsey outside the Darul-Quba Mosque and Cultural Center. (Humphrey School of Public Affairs)

Dahir Jibreel, executive director of the Somali Justice Advocacy Center, described the importance of the relationship between the University and the local community. (Humphrey School of Public Affairs)

Humphrey School alumnus Mike Osberg described the interactive online database of information about the Somali population in Minnesota that he and three other students created. (Humphrey School of Public Affairs)

Minneapolis Councilmember Cam Gordon (second from the left) joined the Kalers as they learned more about the Somali Data Center. (Humphrey School of Public Affairs)

Many members of the local Somali and business communities turned out to meet the Kalers. (Humphrey School of Public Affairs)

President and Mrs. Kaler, along with Dean Sri Zaheer, talk with the managers of the Carlson Funds Enterprise – the largest student-managed fund in the country utilizing third-party money. (Carlson School of Management)

Dean Sri Zaheer shares how experiential learning opportunities, such as the Carlson Funds Enterprise, enable students to more actively engage with academic knowledge. (Carlson School of Management)

Dean Zaheer and the Kalers are briefed on the nearly $36 million Carlson Funds, which consist of two limited liability companies run by MBA and select undergraduate students. (Carlson School of Management)

Before visiting the Funds Enterprise, President Kaler meets with representatives of Carlson’s Undergraduate Program in Hanson Hall including Associate Dean Connie Wanberg (left). (Carlson School of Management)

Funds Advisor Jeannette Parr shares the impressive performance record of the funds with the Kalers. (Carlson School of Management)

President Kaler toured School of Music practice rooms. First to greet and perform for him: Cole Hanson, undergraduate in clarinet performance, rehearsing Stravinsky. (College of Liberal Arts, School of Music)

He found Elizabeth Windnagel and piano accompanist Joe Welch rehearsing "Mac the Knife" for their upcoming Kurt Weil recital. (College of Liberal Arts, School of Music)

"Dr. K" and his wife Karen apparently entertained senior Esther Peterson after she entertained them with the Adagio from Bach's violin sonata in C major. (College of Liberal Arts, School of Music)

Prof. Scott Currie led the World Music Ensemble in a rockin' Brazilian drum rendition of "Luckenbach Texas (Back to the Basics of Love)" by Waylon Jennings/Willy Nelson. It's rumored to be the president's favorite song--but he probably never heard it played like this! The Ensemble draws its members from students across the Twin Cities campus. (College of Liberal Arts, School of Music)

The University Symphony Orchestra was in rehearsal for the next day's Inauguration. Maestro Mark Russell Smith invited Dr. K, Karen, and School of Music director David Myers to listen in. (College of Liberal Arts, School of Music)

President Kaler is introduced to his competition, Yi Zhan, an international student from China, and Mike Trost, who studied abroad in Venezuela. (Global Programs & Strategy Alliance)

Game show host Gayle Woodruff, director of curriculum and campus internationalization, reads the next question. (Global Programs & Strategy Alliance)

The contestants ponder the right answer to the question. (Global Programs & Strategy Alliance)

The score was tight in the middle of the game. (Global Programs & Strategy Alliance)

The audience claps for the winner, President Kaler. (Global Programs & Strategy Alliance)

President Kaler meets some international students after the contest. (Global Programs & Strategy Alliance)

The president was greeted in Burton Hall by " Welcome Prez Kaler," spelled out by 16 of the 440 incoming freshmen at the College of Education and Human Development, which has the most diverse student body of any college on campus. (College of Education & Human Development)

President and Mrs. Kaler listened to a CEHD sophomore explain her perspective on engaging in a class that challenged her to apply new skills and knowledge to address real-world issues like poverty. (College of Education & Human Development)

Associate Professor Sue Staats, Department of Postsecondary Teaching and Learning, led a mini-class bringing together international literature and mathematical concepts to practice decision making that makes a difference in the global community. (College of Education & Human Development)

During her presentation professor Staats lost her Internet connection, and in true fashion one of the CEHD students showed off her knowledge of iPad technology and instructed professor Staats on how to reconnect--to the delight of all in the atrium, including Dean Jean Quam (left) and President and Mrs. Kaler. (College of Education & Human Development)

All incoming freshmen in the College of Education and Human Development received iPads this year, the second year of this innovative program to make this and other mobile technology an integral part of the student educational experience. (College of Education & Human Development)

Psychology Chair Gordon Legge gives President Kaler a copy of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI). "We're sure you've taken it and it indicated strong leadership characteristics," said Legge to Kaler. (College of Liberal Arts, Dept. of Psychology)

At the Minnesota Center for Twin and Family Research, President Kaler meets a pair of twins who have been participants in twin studies since they were young. (College of Liberal Arts, Dept. of Psychology)

Participants in the twin studies demonstrate the electrode caps that collect physiological measurements. (College of Liberal Arts, Dept. of Psychology)

Student research assistants at the Minnesota Center for Twin and Family Research line up to meet President Kaler. (College of Liberal Arts, Dept. of Psychology)

President Kaler watches a video greeting from a Wiley Hall auditorium full of Psych 1001 students. (College of Liberal Arts, Dept. of Psychology)

President Kaler is greeted by several College of Science and Engineering students who welcome him to Walter Library. (College of Science & Engineering)

President and Mrs. Kaler donned special 3D glasses to see the latest tools in medical device design in the Visualization Lab used by College of Science and Engineering researchers. Medical device companies have shown great interest in using this technology developed at the University. (College of Science & Engineering)

Students in the College of Science and Engineering's Center for Distributed Robotics welcome President Kaler to their lab in Walter Library. (College of Science & Engineering)

President Kaler tries his hand at controlling the Scout Robot developed at the University to aid in search-and-rescue missions. The robot spun off a successful local company that now sells the robots to military and law enforcement agencies worldwide. (College of Science & Engineering)

President Kaler saw other cutting-edge robots developed at the University including this Aquapod, an amphibious tumbling robot that works in water and can move over rough terrain. The Aquapod is to be used in water for monitoring or aquatic sensor deployment. (College of Science & Engineering)

President Kaler and product design student Adam Poetter pose with Chomper. Chomper is a furry toy chest that makes noises and spouts sassy catchphrases when someone drops toys onto the pressure sensors in its bottom panel. (College of Design)

President Kaler, students and faculty discuss the College of Design's efforts in Haiti, and with Habitat for Humanity, inside the ICON Solar House outside the Armory and across the street from Rapson Hall. (College of Design)

Assistant Professor of Apparel Design and Wearable Technology Lucy Dunne and President Kaler discuss solar garments and work merging apparel and technology. (College of Design)

Visiting the College of Design's new Digital Fabrication Laboratory (DigiFabLab), Mrs. Kaler discovers a series of seven nested spheres which can rotate freely, by independently of one another. It was printed with the College's Z Corp Z510 printer in a plaster-based composite and took about three hours to print. (College of Design)

Dr. and Mrs. Kaler, with Dean Tom Fisher and Associate Dean Lee Anderson, discuss the soon to be completed virtual reality technology in the Rapson courtyard. Once finished, the College of Design will be home to the largest virtual reality installation in the country. (College of Design)

Photo Album Index

Connecting with U

9/23/2011: Inauguration - Portrait Unveiling & Birthday Party

9/21/2011: Inauguration - Chancellors' Reception

Fall 2011: Rochester Visit

Engaging with Faculty and Staff

9/19/2011 & 9/21/2011: Inauguration - Campus Crawls

9/20/2011: Inauguration - Community Day

August - September 2011: Welcome Week 2011

Fall 2011: Morris Visit

Fall 2011: Crookston Visit

Engaging with Leaders

8/28/2011: At the State Fair

8/24/2011: Celebrate U!

7/20/2011: Aquatennial Parade

7/5/2011: Open House

7/5/2011: Lunch with Students

7/5/2011: Brass Quartet Welcome

7/4/2011: Delano Independence Day Parade

Fall 2010 - Spring 2011: President-designate Kaler