Vol. XXXVIII No. 15; April 23, 2008
Interim Editor: Pauline Oo, brief@umn.edu

Read Brief on the Web at http://www1.umn.edu/umnnews/Publications/Brief.html.

INSIDE THIS ISSUE
--U helps families discover the joy of science together
--People: Grad School names admissions director; U professor wins prestigious Rome award; and more.

Campus Announcements and Events
University-wide | Crookston | Duluth | Morris | Twin Cities

FAMILIES AND PHYSICS: Through PACES (Parents and Children Experiencing Science), a program of the President's Initiative on Children, Youth, and Families, parents can model scientific curiosity for their kids; read "When physics is a social science."

PEOPLE: Dean Tsantir is the new director of the Graduate School's Office of Admissions, effective June 9; assistant professor Hisham Bizri has won an award from the American Academy in Rome; Jean Wyman was named president-elect of the Midwest Nursing Research Society; Gwen Halaas, director of AHC's Center for Interprofessional Education, was selected to attend the Harvard Macy Institute's Leading Innovation in Health Care and Education. Read about these and more awards and appointments in People.

CAMPUS ANNOUNCEMENTS AND EVENTS

University-wide:

THE U WAS PART OF A DISTANCE LEARNING MEMORANDUM signed yesterday (April 22). The American Distance Education Consortium, a nonprofit organization composed of approximately 65 state universities, including the U, has signed a cooperative agreement with the Chinese Central Agricultural Broadcasting Television School, the largest distance education organization in the world, to foster additional relationships for distance learning opportunities. Read the news release.

TWO MILLION-DOLLAR GIFTS will support adult education at the U. The Bernard Osher Foundation has given the College of Continuing Education two gifts: one to create an endowment for the Osher Reentry Scholarship, which helps adults finish their first bachelor's degree, and the second, to go toward an endowment to support the U's Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, a membership-based lifelong learning community of older adults. Read the news release.

U NAMES ALUM TO COORDINATE RENOVATIONS: Archie Givens, CEO of Legacy Management & Development Corporation and nationally known for his work in affordable housing and health care administration, will serve as the U's representative during the renovation of the former shopping center at 2001 Plymouth Ave. N. in Minneapolis. The U bought the building in February to house the new Urban Research and Outreach/Engagement Center. Read the news release.

INTERDISCIPLINARY CENTER FOR THE STUDY OF GLOBAL CHANGE has been awarded a $600,000 grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation to continue its undergraduate honors program, the Global Issues Honors Consortium--a partnership among UMTC, UMM, Tougaloo College, and Dillard University. The program is designed to serve populations underrepresented in higher education and prepare students for graduate school. To learn more about the center, see ICGC.

APPLICATIONS ACCEPTED to Women's Leadership Institute's 2008-09 program. The institute offers U women a chance to cultivate leadership skills. Monthly meetings, held from September to June, include guest speakers, reflection, networking, and group discussion. Applications accepted through May 22. For more information, go to the WLI Web site.

GRANT WRITING FOR INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH is the topic of the next workshop in the Collaborative Leadership Development Series. A panel of seven faculty members will share their perspectives and experiences of developing successful proposals, focusing on the issues and concerns unique to interdisciplinary contexts. April 30, 3-5 p.m., McNamara Alumni Center, UMTC, and by ITV at 410 Library, UMD. Sponsored by the Graduate School. Free, but space is limited and registration is required at OII workshops.

Crookston:

ERIC BURGESS, UMC business instructor, presented his research on strategic planning in higher education at the 14th annual Midwest Qualitative Research Conference, April 17-18, University of St. Thomas. Kenneth Johnson, also an instructor in the Business Department, will copresent with Burgess on the same topic at the Association of Business Schools and Programs Annual Conference, July 21-22, New Orleans. Read the news release.

STUDENTS HONORED SELECT FACULTY AND STAFF with special awards during the 2008 Student Awards Ceremony in early April. The entire UMC student body voted on the recipients. "Most Creative Use of Technology," Tom Sondreal, senior media producer, Media Services; "Outstanding Educator," Kevin Thompson, assistant professor of communication; "Most Supportive of Students," Sonia Spaeth, assistant professor of health, physical education, recreation, and art; and "Outstanding Service to Students," Lisa Samuelson, director of student activities.

A PROPOSAL BY UMC HORTICULTURE CLUB to create a native plant demonstration garden has been awarded $4,000 by the U's Institute on the Environment. The grant was 1 of 12 awarded to student organizations across the U system for projects or activities in spring 2008 that promote sustainability and the environment. Read the news release.

Duluth:

25TH ANNUAL BAEUMLER-KAPLAN HOLOCAUST COMMEMORATION presents keynote lecture "Zeit Zeuge: Time Witness" by Leonore Baeumler, April 29, 4 p.m., Weber Music Hall. Baeumler, a Duluth resident who lived in Germany during the Nazi regime, will present excerpts from her memoir, Zeit Zeuge. The event is free and open to the public. Read the news release.

MARSHALL W. ALWORTH PLANETARIUM WILL CELEBRATE National Astronomy Day, April 26, starting at 10 a.m. UMTC physics and astronomy professor Lawrence Rudnick will give the keynote address, "The Greatest Impact: Our Birth in the Stars." Programs include dark-sky shows, full-dome videos, remotely delivered presentations by the Hayden Planetarium in New York City, demonstrations, and workshops on buying and using telescopes. For more information, see Alworth Planetarium.

DEAR FINDER, written and produced by UMD theater professor Tom Isbell, opens April 24, 7:30 p.m., Marshall Performing Arts Center. The award-winning play about the Holocaust returns to UMD 10 years after its premiere performance. The play runs through May 3; all performances 7:30 p.m., except Sundays, 2 p.m. Members of the Baeumler-Kaplan Holocaust Commemoration Committee will lead discussions after each performance (except opening night). Tickets are $15 for adults, $11 for seniors, and $6 for UMD students and children. For more information, see UMD theatre.

UMD MUSIC DEPARTMENT presents two performances of The Merry Widow, a romantic operetta by Franz Lehar, April 25 and 26, 7:30 p.m., Duluth Entertainment Convention Center. The opera features UMD faculty Rachel Inselman (soprano) and Calland Metts (tenor) in the leading roles, and nationally known guest director Dean Anthony. Performed in English with supertitles. Tickets are $10-$35. For more information, see UMD music.

Morris:

A NEW DIGITAL IMAGE DATABASE makes three online high-resolution photo collections accessible to on- and off-campus users. The Historic District Collection documents the buildings and spaces that constitute the West Central School of Agriculture and Experiment Station Historic District. The UMM Heritage Collection contains photographs of people, places, and events that span the 120-year history of the campus. UMM Today holds current UMM photographs. The database is an ongoing, joint project of UMM Archives, the Rodney A. Briggs Library, Media Services, Admissions, Computing Services, and U Relations. Visit UMM Digital Collections.

UMM STUDENTS who participated in the 2007-08 Multi-Ethnic Mentorship Program presented the results of their work April 7. The 12 projects were in the disciplines of art, biology, political science, economics, philosophy, computer science, French, environmental science, and education. Read the news release.

Twin Cities:

OPEN FORUMS ON CAMPUS MASTER PLAN RECOMMENDATIONS will be held April 28, 10:30 a.m.-noon, Cowles Auditorium, Humphrey Center; May 1, 9:30-11 a.m., Mississippi Room, Coffman Union; and May 2, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m., 33 McNeal Hall, St. Paul. The purpose of the forums is to gather input from the U community and from residents of adjoining communities regarding recommended updates to the Twin Cities Campus Master Plan. For more information, go to the Master Planning Web site.

CAMPUS SUSTAINABILITY FORUM: VP Kathleen O'Brien and Institute on the Environment interim director Deborah Swackhamer will cohost a forum with the Minnesota Public Interest Research Group, April 28, 4-5:30 p.m., Mississippi Room, Coffman Union. Learn more about the work being done to advance sustainability efforts on campus and share your priorities for campus sustainability. The forum, part of student Actifest week events, will also inform the work of the committee charged by President Bruininks, and cochaired by O'Brien and Swackhamer, to develop sustainability goals and outcomes for the U.

NEXT WELCOME WEEK INFO SESSION, April 30, 1-2 p.m., 335 Borlaug Hall. RSVP, ofyp@umn.edu. To learn more, see Welcome Week.

MOVIE SCREENING AND DISCUSSION: Sundance Film Festival award-winner Dark Matter is a fictionalized account of a 1991 shooting at the University of Iowa. A panel discussion following the film will explore student mental health, adjustment issues, and campus safety. April 24, 4 p.m. (seating 3:30 p.m.), Coffman Union. To learn more, see campus events.

INTERNATIONAL GRANTS SYMPOSIUM, sponsored by the Office of International Programs, will feature panel discussions with previous faculty recipients of its International Strategic Initiatives funds. A reception will follow to honor the 2008 faculty and graduate student recipients and feature posters presented by last year's student recipients. Grants will total nearly $560,000 in 2008-09. April 29, 2 p.m. (reception 4:30 p.m.), Weisman Art Museum. To learn more, see campus events.

"STORMWATER," cosponsored by the U's Water Resources Center, will feature student presentations on stormwater projects and an update on the U's stormwater plans, including those for the new TCF Bank Stadium. April 30, 3-4 p.m. 105 Cargill Building.

2008 KERMIT A. OLSON MEMORIAL LECTURE. Richard Primack, a Boston University professor, will present "Climate Change Comes to Thoroeau's Concord," in which he will focus on the changes in flowering times that have been observed in several plant species over the past 150 years. April 30, 4 p.m., 110 Green Hall.

HILLEL PRESENTS A LECTURE: "Turning Away from Hate: Confessions of an Ex-Neo Nazi." TJ Leyden will speak about his years in a white supremacist movement and the importance of diversity and tolerance. April 30, 7 p.m., 175 Willey Hall.

UNIVERSITY STORES ANNUAL LAB FEST, featuring lab product and services vendors, will be April 30, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Radisson University Hotel, and May 1, St. Paul Student Center.

"BUILDING TIES '08" exhibit will feature culturally sensitive housing designs for Mexicans and Ojibwe, developed by third-year interior design students under the direction of U professor Tasoulla Hadjiyanni. Opening May 3, 2-4 p.m., Hennepin History Museum, and runs through June 8.

"THE SEMICONDUCTOR INDUSTRY'S NANOELECTRONICS Research Initiative: Motivation and Challenges" is the next lecture in the Digital Technology Center's Science and Technology Innovators Series. Given by Jeff Welser, director of SRC Nanoelectronics Research Initiative, IBM Almaden Research Center. May 6, 5 p.m. (4:30 p.m. reception), 101 Walter Library. For more information, see DTC events.

MORE EVENTS include Financial Intelligence course (April 24); "Atlantic Worlds: Art and Globalization from Columbus to NAFTA" (April 25); "Kinetic Spectrum" (April 26); "Cellotone 2008" (April 27); "Innovative Approaches to the Global AIDS Epidemic: A Town Meeting With Congresswoman Betty McCollum (April 28); "Video Options at the U" (April 29). SEE THESE AND MORE TWIN CITIES CAMPUS EVENTS.

Published by University Relations at the University of Minnesota. Please send comments, questions, or submissions to the editor at brief@umn.edu. The deadline for submissions is noon on the Friday before publication. All Twin Cities event submissions are handled through the events calendar at http://events.tc.umn.edu.

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