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Free tickets offered to students to Squyres lecture
As part of the celebration of the inauguration of John B. Simpson as its 14th president, UB is offering area students a unique opportunity to get involved with science education and research by attending for free a lecture by a nationally regarded astronomer.
UB and the Buffalo Alliance for Education have teamed up to provide free tickets to the Distinguished Speakers Series lecture by Steven Squyres, to be held at 8 p.m. on Oct. 13 in Alumni Arena, North Campus.
Professor of astronomy at Cornell University, Squyres is perhaps best known as the face and voice of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Mars Exploration Rover (MER) mission and the pioneering drive across the Martian surface by the two high-tech robotic rovers "Spirit" and "Opportunity."
Squyres' extraterrestrial expertise and infectious enthusiasm for space exploration have garnered him immense national attention. His main areas of scientific interest focus on Mars, as well as on the moons of the outer planets. The key research areas for which he is best known include the study of the history and distribution of water on Mars and the possible existence and habitability of a liquid water ocean on Europa, one of Jupiter's many moons.
While they last, as many as 75 complimentary tickets will be made available to individual schools on a first-come first-served basis. Request forms may be downloaded from http://www. specialevents.buffalo.edu or from http://www.buffaloalliance .org. Requests to have a form faxed or mailed also may be made by calling 645-6147, ext. 227. Faculty, staff and parents who provide transportation for students attending the lecture also are eligible for free tickets. All enrolled schools will be given the opportunity to provide a school-display Power Point slide for the pre-lecture slide show.
For more information on the Squyres lecture, as well as other lectures in UB's Distinguished Speakers Series, visit http://www.specialevents.buffalo.edu.
Pitra memorial to be held on Oct. 3
A memorial liturgy for Kevin Pitra, a Graduate School of Education student who lost his battle with cancer this summer, will be held at 8 p.m. Oct. 3 in St. Joseph University Church, 3295 Main St., adjacent to the South Campus.
Pitra, a former captain of the UB soccer team, received his master's degree in higher education in May, despite undergoing intensive interferon-A chemotherapy while attending classes and working in the GSE admissions office. He died on July 7. Funeral services were held in his hometown of Solon, Ohio.
CUBS, local firm awarded tech transfer grant
The U.S. Department of Defense, through the U.S. Army Research Laboratory, has awarded Ultra-Scan Corp. and UB's Center for Unified Biometrics and Sensors (CUBS) a highly competitive Small Business Technology Transfer Research contract.
The funding will be used for a project focusing on the development of an optimal method of combining multiple biometric technologies, which focus on multiple physical and behavioral characteristics, to identify individuals entering the U.S. and to improve overall system accuracy.
The partnership teams CUBS' expertise in the use of signatures as a biometric and Ultra-Scan's superior fingerprint-identification system (LUIS™). It's anticipated that using a combination of biometric measurements, such as a person's fingerprint and signature, would improve accuracy and processing speed.
"While it is quite possible that the signatures of two individuals may be very similar, the chances that both their signatures and fingerprints are alike are very remote," said Venu Govindaraju, professor of computer science and engineering and director of CUBS.
"Together, Ultra-Scan and CUBS are developing the science and the mathematics that will allow us to establish the optimal method of combining biometrics in a single system," he said.
Human physical characteristics can change with age, weight, injury and other factors. By using multiple methods for measurement and identification, the challenges these variations pose can be minimized.
"After the attacks of Sept. 11, accurate personal identification gained significant attention," said John K. Schneider, president of Ultra-Scan Corp. "Biometric-based recognition emerged as one of the most promising technologies to achieve high confidence in securing our borders."
The research also will result in applications to identity management systems within the health-care and financial industries.
CUBS was established in 2003 to advance the science of biometrics and build engineered systems with a focus on homeland security applications.
Ultra-Scan Corp. is an identity management solutions provider serving the health care, government and transportation security, and financial markets.
Appiah to deliver Hourani lectures
Distinguished philosopher Kwame Anthony Appiah, the Laurance S. Rockefeller University Professor of Philosophy at the University Center for Human Values at Princeton University, will deliver the Department of Philosophy's annual George H. Hourani lectures in moral philosophy.
Appiah will address "The Ethics of Identity" in six lectures at the Center for Tomorrow, North Campus. The Hourani lectures are among more than 50 inaugural events being held during October in conjunction with the investiture of John B. Simpson as UB's 14th president.
All lectures in the series are free and open to the public and each will take place at 4 p.m. on the date specified: Sept. 27, "The Ethics of Individuality;" Sept. 28, "Autonomy and its Critics;" Sept. 29, "The Demands of Identity;" Oct. 19, "The Trouble with Culture;" Oct. 20, "Soul-making," and Oct. 21, "Rooted Cosmopolitanism."
An Asante native of southern Ghana, Appiah's family stretches around the globe and he draws on his rich cultural roots to address issues of diversity, community building, and cultural identity. He is internationally recognized for his writings on mind and language, African and African-American intellectual history and political philosphy.
Before joining the Princeton faculty in 2002, he was the Charles H. Carswell Professor of Afro-American Studies and of Philosophy at Harvard University, where he specialized in moral and political philosophy, African and African-American studies, literary theory and criticism, and issues of personal and political identity, multiculturalism and nationalism.
His writings include numerous scholarly books, essays and articles along with reviews, short fiction, three novels and a volume of poetry. With Princeton Provost Amy Gutmann, Appiah wrote "Color Conscious: The Political Morality of Race" (Princeton University Press, 1996), which won the Annual Book Award of the North American Society for Social Philosophy, the Ralph J. Bunche Award of the American Political Science Association and the Gustavus Myers Award for the Study of Human Rights.
His much-praised book, "In My Father's House: Africa in the Philosophy of Culture" (Oxford University Press, 1992), has been honored by the African Studies Association, the Cleveland Foundation and the Modern Language Association.
Linda Yalem run to be held on Oct. 3
The 15th annual Linda Yalem Safety Run will be held at 9:30 a.m. Oct. 3 on the North Campus.
The 5K race, held in memory of UB student Linda Yalem, who was raped and murdered while jogging on the Amherst Bike Path near the North Campus, promotes personal-safety awareness and rape prevention. At the time of her death, Yalem was training for the New York City Marathon.
Participants can register online at http://www.active.com or download and mail in a form at http://www. lindayalemrun.buffalo.edu. Forms also can be found in 150 Student Union.
The cost of registration before race day is $17 fee, $20 on race day and $12 for UB students. The first 1,200 registered participants receive a free long-sleeve race shirt. Also included in the fee are refreshments at a post-race party, prizes and giveaways and a voucher for two free UB Bulls football tickets for any game this season.
The race serves as a qualifying race for The Buffalo News "Runner of the Year" series.
The last day to register online is Sept. 30; deadline for registration by mail is Sept. 27.
Participants can pick up their race packets from 4-7:30 p.m. on Oct. 1 or from 7:30-8:30 a.m. on race day in Alumni Arena.
For more information on the race and race day procedures and activities, go to http://www. lindayalemrun.buffalo.edu, or call 645-2055.
Australian architect to speak
Australian Sean Godsell, architect of several award-winning houses, will present a slide lecture at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday in 301 Crosby Hall, South Campus, as part of the annual series sponsored by the School of Architecture and Planning.
The lecture is free and open to the public, and will be followed by a reception.
Godsell is recognized in particular for his development of alternative housing solutions for displaced populations. In 2002, the influential British design magazine Wallpaper cited him as one of 10 people in the world "destined to change the way we live."
Godsell sees one of the roles of first-world, democratic countries as humanitarian, and so designed the "Future Shack," a prototype for emergency and relief housing that utilizes recycled shipping containers.
It was housed on the grounds of the Cooper-Hewitt Museum in May as part of its "SOLOS" exhibition series, which explored innovative and pragmatic shelter alternatives for populations displaced by war, natural disaster or political pressure.
Mass-produced, inexpensive and easy to ship and stockpile, the "Future Shacks" is approximately 8-feet-wide by 8-feet-high by 20-feet-long, an adequate size for temporary housing. Through its use of a prefabricated, universal unit and a roof capable of site-specific material manipulation, it embodies the contradictions of contemporary life.
In July 2003, Godsell received a citation from the president of the American Institute of Architects for his work for the homeless.
His built works include churches, towers and other buildings, most of which are residential structures. A popular speaker, he has lectured previously in the U.S., United Kingdom, China and New Zealand, as well as across Australia, and is the recipient of more than a score of international awards for his work.
Henderson receives SOM honor
Marsha S. Henderson, president of KeyBank-Western New York, has been named the 2004 Niagara Frontier Executive of the Year by the School of Management.
The award will be presented to Henderson at the 55th annual School of Management Alumni Association awards banquet at 5:30 p.m. Nov. 9 in the Hyatt Regency Buffalo.
Henderson was selected for the award based on a vote by the board of directors of the alumni association and past honorees, who cited her career success, civic leadership and professional integrity.
After 25 years in banking, Henderson in 1988 joined KeyBank, the 11th largest U.S.-based financial institution providing services to individuals, small businesses and corporations.
As president of KeyBank-Western New York, she has oversight of 41 Key Centers and approximately 1,000 employees across four counties.
Henderson serves as chair of the Buffalo Niagara Partnership, a 3,500-member organization representing business in Western New York. She was recently appointed to the 11-member Greater Buffalo Commission, established to create a new form of city-county government for the 21st century.
Henderson is the immediate past chair of the Western New York Women's Fund, treasurer of the Independent Health Foundation and serves on the board of directors of the Erie County Industrial Development Agency, the Buffalo Niagara Enterprise and the UB Foundation. She also is a member of the Kaleida Health Finance Committee.
Established in 1949, the Niagara Frontier Executive of the Year award is presented annually to a resident of the Niagara Frontier. Past recipients include Robert E. Rich, Sr.; Paul L. Snyder; Robert E. Rich Jr.; Jeremy M. Jacobs; the late Burt P. Flickinger, Jr.; the late Seymour H. Knox, III; Sal H. Alfiero; Robert G. Wilmers; Bernard J. Kennedy; Frank L. Ciminelli; Reginald B. Newman, II; Luiz F. Kahl and Frank McGuire. Last year's honoree was Randall L. Clark.
Teaching workshop scheduled
The Center for Teaching and Learning Resources will present a workshop, "Teaching/Testing/Grading: Issues and Ideas," from 1-2:30 p.m. on Oct. 1 in 120 Clemens Hall, North Campus.
Barbara Rittner, associate professor in the School of Social Work, and Mary Anne Rokitka, clinical associate professor and associate dean for biomedical undergraduate education in the School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, will conduct the workshop.
The workshop is designed to teach participants about testing and grading issues in both graduate and undergraduate settings. The session will enhance participants' skills in testing student knowledge through the development of effective multiple-choice questions, essay exams and paper assignments. Grading strategies also will be discussed.
The workshop is free of charge but registration is required. To register, visit the CTLR Web site at http://www.buffalo.edu/ctlr or contact Lisa
Francescone at lcf@buffalo.edu, or 645-7328 and provide your name, department and email address.
Avoid Homecoming Weekend for scheduling campus events
Given the volume of activities scheduled at UB this year during Homecoming Weekend, Oct. 15-17, University Facilities and its service units—Center for the Arts, Alumni Arena, Student Union, Center for Tomorrow, Special Events, Catering, Parking & Transportation, University Police and Facilities Management—are advising that members of the campus community may want to choose another time to schedule their events.
The weekend is especially busy this year, with the alumni homecoming, the Student Association Carnival, Fall Open House, the homecoming football game between UB and Miami of Ohio and the investiture of John B. Simpson as UB's 14th president among the scheduled activities on campus.
Units that already have scheduled events for Homecoming Weekend, but have not placed orders for service, are asked to do so immediately. Orders placed after Oct. 1 cannot be guaranteed.
Von Klitzing to deliver Rustgi lecture
Klaus von Klitzing, Nobel laureate and director at the Max-Planck Institute in Stuttgart, Germany, will deliver the 12th annual Moti Lal Rustgi Memorial Lecture at 5:30 p.m. Oct. 1 in 220 Natural Sciences Complex, North Campus.
Von Klitzing's talk is entitled "From Micro to Nanoelectronics: A Quantum Leap."
The lecture, which is free and open to the public, is presented by the Department of Physics, College of Arts and Sciences. It is one of many inaugural events celebrating the investiture of John B. Simpson as UB's 14th president.
Von Klitzing received the 1985 Nobel Prize in Physics for the discovery of the quantum hall effect. He directs a large research group that investigates the electronic properties of heterostructures, quantum wells, superlattices and molecular systems, in particular the influence of quantum phenomena on the transport and optical response of these systems.
For more information, contact the Department of Physics at 645-2017 or Michael Fuda at fuda@buffalo.edu.
Wiring the brain to be topic of Rahn lecture
Marc Tessier-Lavigne, senior vice president for research drug discovery for Genetech, will deliver the 12th annual Hermann Rahn Memorial Lecture at 3 p.m. Tuesday in Butler Auditorium in Farber Hall, South Campus.
Known internationally for the study of brain development and regeneration, Tessier-Lavigne will discuss "Wiring the Brain: The Logic and Molecular Biology of Axon Guidance."
The Rahn lecture is presented by the Department of Physiology and Biophysics.
For more information, contact the Department of Physiology and Biophysics at 829-2738.
Kathleen Battle to perform.
Soprano Kathleen Battle will perform at 8 p.m. Oct. 14 in the Mainstage theater in the Center for the Arts, North Campus. The performance, an inaugural event, is being made possible by the Bernice Poss Memorial Fund.
In a repertoire ranging from Handel to Richard Strauss, Battle has appeared on the stages of the world's leading opera houses, including the Metropolitan Opera, the opera houses of Vienna, Paris, San Francisco and Chicago, and London's Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. She has enjoyed close collaborations with most noted artists of our time and has performed with the world's great orchestras.
A five-time Grammy Award winner, Battle made her professional debut at the Spoleto Festival, and her Metropolitan Opera debut followed only five years later. She is the recipient of six honorary doctorates from American universities and, in 1999, was inducted into the NAACP Image Hall of Fame.
Tickets for Kathleen Battle are $50, $45 and $40, and are available at the CFA box office from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, and at all Ticketmaster locations.
For more information, call 645-ARTS.