Last modified: Thursday, October 11, 2007
"Celebrate IU" with colloquia
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Oct. 11, 2007
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Some of the most important and far-reaching research going on at Indiana University will be highlighted during special presentations and discussions on various campuses during "Celebrate IU" week, Oct. 13-21..
The colloquia and symposia will provide snapshots of ongoing explorations in fields such as life science, education theory, energy use and contemporary writing, and will highlight the real-world contributions being made every day by the university's world-class faculty and researchers
All free and open to the public, the colloquia emphasize one of IU's most important missions, according to President Michael McRobbie.
"At IU, discovery, engagement and curiosity drive our students and faculty to achieve their most ambitious intellectual goals," he said. "Pursuing answers to fundamental questions about the world, sharing new knowledge and collaborating with a global community of scholars are crucial steps toward those goals and, in many cases, facilitate the next great innovation."
The opening event of the week will take place at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis and will focus on a new initiative known as Translational Research Into Practice (TRIP), which demonstrates how research makes a difference in people's lives.
"IUPUI is eager to recognize and celebrate the tremendous work that faculty here are doing to change lives and contribute to the betterment of the citizens of Indiana and beyond," said Sandra Petronio, professor of communication, who is spearheading the new initiative at the Indianapolis campus. "Their cutting-edge research has resulted in successful businesses, improved learning experiences, model programs and improved health care."
The colloquium will be held on Oct. 15 (Monday) from 12 noon to 1:30 p.m. at University Place Conference Center on the IUPUI campus. A complimentary lunch will be served during the panel discussion. Reservations are required and can be made by contacting Maggie McFarlin at 317-274-7400.
The impact of research on real-world issues and solutions also will be explored at a symposium preceding the Oct. 16 (Tuesday) dedication of Simon Hall, the new multidisciplinary home of the life sciences at IU Bloomington.
"Life Sciences in the 21st Century: From Discovery to Treatment," will feature five of IU's leading researchers, all of whom will demonstrate why basic discovery research remains the foundation of scientific and technological progress. Topics will include the impact of cell division machinery on drug development; new biochemical mediators of pain and inflammation; and the role of organic chemistry as a fundamental discipline for significant contributions to the life sciences.
The symposium will take place from 9 to 11:30 a.m. in Whittenberger Auditorium, Indiana Memorial Union.
Colloquia play a vital role in educating students, faculty and the community and are a key component of academic life. Others scheduled during "Celebrate IU" Week include:
Indiana University Bloomington
"Enhancing Diversity: Multiple Pathways into Graduate Education and Beyond," Oct. 15 (Monday) at 4 p.m. in the Frangipani Room, IMU. The event, sponsored by the IU University Graduate School, will feature three panels of current and former students. Keynote speaker will be Carl McNair, brother of Ronald McNair, a NASA astronaut who died during the Challenger space shuttle disaster. He will discuss the McNair Scholars program, a federally funded effort to increase the numbers of low-income, first-generation and underrepresented students who pursue Ph.D.s and seek careers in research and teaching in higher education.
IU Northwest
"The Voices of Darfur" will be presented by Darfur natives Awadiya M. Ahmed Yahia, a Ph.D. candidate in Global Gender Studies at New York State University at Buffalo, and Suad Mansour, chair of the Projects Committee of the Darfur Alert Coalition, on Oct. 19 (Friday) from 3 to 5 p.m. in the Savannah Auditorium. They will focus on the current situation and history of the region.
IU Kokomo
What words of wisdom would you share with your students if you could give only one last lecture? This is the hypothetical question proposed to IUK faculty for the campus' "Got Rambin' on My Mind" lecture series. History Professor Allen Safianow will address the topic on Oct. 16 (Tuesday) at 6 p.m. in the IUK Art Gallery.
IU Southeast
Faculty winners of the Distinguished Research and Creativity Awards will present colloquia on successive days from 12:20 to 1:15 p.m. in Room HH105 on the IUS campus.
On Oct. 16 (Tuesday), "Abusive Supervision: Multiple Investigations of Antecedents and Outcomes" will be presented by Ken Harris, assistant professor of business administration. Harris has received national prominence for his breakthrough work on leader member exchange.
And, on Oct. 17 (Wednesday), Linda Gugin, professor of political science, and Jim St. Clair, professor of journalism, will present "The Art and Craft of Writing Biographies." Gugin and St. Clair have joined forces to write three books, which have received national acclaim.
IU South Bend
A discussion about building sustainable communities in "Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design" will be held on Oct. 17 (Wednesday) from 12 noon to 1 p.m. in the Quiet Lounge. Information on creating buildings that integrate the needs of people, economics and the environment will be presented, as well as the goals of making the student housing community building LEED certified.
Also, a panel discussion on sickle cell anemia will take place on Oct. 19 (Friday) from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. in The Grille. The "Sickle Cell Conference" is an annual event held to raise community awareness.
IU East
The campus will host a daily faculty colloquium, Oct. 15-19 from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. in the Community Room. The schedule includes:
- Oct. 15 (Monday): Jean Harper's "Chronicling the Richmond 1968 Explosion." Harper is an assistant professor of English.
- Oct. 16 (Tuesday): Alisa Clapp-Itnyre, associate professor of English, will share her sabbatical research in England in "Nineteenth Century Children's Hymns: Defining the Child Amongst Chords and Verses."
- Oct. 17 (Wednesday): Dale Beach, assistant professor of biotechnology, "Microsapce: Navigating Yeast Cytoplasm using Time-Lapse Imaging."
- Oct. 18 (Thursday): Victoria Beck, assistant professor of criminal justice, "Community Response to Sex Offender Notification: An Exploratory Assessment."
- Oct. 19 (Friday): Melissa Shyan-Norwalt, visiting assistant professor of psychology, "Dogs that Bite and Apologize Later: What's Really Going on."
