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Levitt up next in Distinguished Speakers Series
Economist Steven D. Levitt, who with journalist Stephen Dubner authored the bestseller "Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything," will speak at 8 p.m. Wednesday in Alumni Arena, North Campus, as part of UB's Distinguished Speakers Series for 2007-08.
Alvin Baum Professor of Economics and director of the Becker Center on Chicago Price Theory at the University of Chicago, Levitt applies economics to the riddles of everyday life, examining everything from the relationship between legalized abortion and crime rates, to commonalities between schoolteachers and sumo wrestlers.
He received the Quill Award for Best Business Book of the Year for "Freakonomics," as well as the Booksense Independent Booksellers Nonfiction Book of the Year award.
Among the other numerous honors and awards Levitt has received is the 2004 John Bates Clark Medal, which recognizes the most influential economist in America under the age of 40. He also was chosen in 2006 as one of Time magazine's "100 people who shape our world."
A University of Chicago faculty member since 1997, Levitt received his bachelor's degree from Harvard University in 1989 and his doctorate from M.I.T. in 1994.
Tickets for Levitt's lecture are available at the Alumni Arena box office, at all Tops markets and through Tickets.com.
For more information, visit the Special Events Web site.
Daum named associate dean
Andreas Daum, professor of history in the College of Arts and Sciences, has been appointed associate dean in the Office of the Vice Provost and Dean for Undergraduate Education.
In this new position, Daum will work on several initiatives that have been developed to enhance the educational experience of UB undergraduates, including the undergraduate academies in research exploration and civic engagement that were introduced this fall, and a new international academy that will begin in fall 2008.
Daum, who will serve as co-chair of the University Undergraduate Curriculum Committee, also will be responsible for revisiting and, where necessary, coordinating revisions and innovations in the university's general education program. He also will focus on how UB can further expand undergraduates' awareness of global issues and enrich their international experiences.
The "international" aspect of his new duties "signals a clear commitment on the part of UB to further internationalize undergraduate education and update our curricula," Daum says.
He points out that international perspectives must be infused into the university's curricula and programs beginning in the freshman year. "We won't start from scratch, though; many elements are already in place, such as study abroad programs. However, these elements can be better promoted, linked with each other and complemented by new ideas," he says.
Moreover, while UB has done an impressive job of bringing international students to study at the university, the university must give students with local or regional backgrounds more opportunities to learn about the world and study abroad, and significantly improve training in a wide range of languages and cultures.
"We want to help them acquire the curiosity, skills and knowledge necessary to gain competence as global citizens and face the challenges of an increasingly global world in whatever professional or academic fields they choose to work in after college," Daum says.
A UB faculty member since 2002, Daum's research and teaching interests lie in European, American and transnational history. His research deals with topics as diverse as the history of popular science, transatlantic relations, the Cold War, and urban culture.
He served as a member of the International Strategy Task Group that was charged with issuing recommendations to internationalize UB. Daum also was a member of the 2006-07 Faculty in Leadership class. His project for the program was a report on internationalizing undergraduate education.
A native of Germany, he received a bachelor's degree from the University of Cologne and master's and doctoral degrees from the University of Munich, where he taught as an assistant professor.
Before joining the UB faculty, he served as a John F. Kennedy Memorial Fellow at Harvard University and an associate research professor at the German Historical Institute in Washington, D.C.
He has published numerous articles and four books, the latest of which, "Kennedy in Berlin," will be published in its English translation by Cambridge University Press in December.
'City of Angels' to open in CFA
The Department of Theatre and Dance will present the musical "City of Angels," in a full production with orchestra, Wednesday through Nov. 18 in the Drama Theatre in the Center for the Arts, North Campus.
Performance are at 8 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and at 2 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
"City of Angels"—with music by Cy Coleman and lyrics by David Zippel—tells the story of Stine, an award-winning writer of detective fiction who has come to Los Angeles to create his first screenplay. Set against the backdrop of Sen. Joseph McCarthy's Un-American Activities Committee and the Hollywood blacklist, the musical explores Stine's creative and political struggles as he tries to bring the adventures of his alter-ego, the dashing private eye Stone, to the film-noir screen.
Erica Gould, one of the co-artistic directors of the New York theater company The Fire Dept, will serve as guest director. Nathan R. Matthews, director of music theatre at UB, will music direct/conduct the production. The cast of UB students includes Arin Dandes, Kelly Jakiel, Eliza Maher, Tim Voit, Katie Hart, Travis Taber and Christopher Howard. Many of these students have become known to Western New York audiences through their appearances in productions at such local theaters as MusicalFare and Artpark.
Tickets for "City of Angels" are $16 for general admission and $8 for students and seniors. Tickets are available at the CFA box office from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and at all Ticketmaster locations, including Ticketmaster.com.
For more information, call 645-ARTS.
Support UB with retirement assets
The Pension Protection Act of 2006 has created a simple, tax-friendly option for some donors to support charitable organizations like UB.
Under the charitable IRA rollover provision, individuals age 701/2 or older may make a gift through charitable IRA assets of up to $100,000, free of federal taxes.
"In the past, such gifts were subject to federal taxes. However this new legislation has created a terrific short-term gifting opportunity," says Wendy Irving, assistant vice president for planned giving. "UB's faculty and staff have contributed to the growth of the university in so many ways and this is yet another meaningful way in which one can support UB."
This gifting opportunity will expire on Dec. 31. For more information, call the Office of Planned Giving at 829-2632 or consult with a professional advisor.
SUNY provost to speak at geography week
Risa Palm, provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs for the SUNY system, will be the keynote speaker at Geography Awareness Week, a celebration of the discipline being held at UB Monday through Nov. 16.
Palm, who holds an appointment as a professor of geography at UB, will speak on "Culture Realms in the United States: A Marketer's Approach" at 2 p.m. Nov. 16 in 120 Clemens Hall, North Campus.
An urban geographer, Palm is a pioneer in quantitative research on social science aspects of natural hazards. Her books "Natural Hazards: An Integrative Framework for Research and Planning" and "After a California Earthquake: Attitude and Behavior Change" are considered classics in the field. She is one of the most cited scholars in the areas of earthquake risk and insurance and cultural perspectives on natural hazards.
Other events scheduled for Geography Awareness Week include research poster displays by geography students in the hallway outside the Geography Information Analysis Lab, 145 Wilkeson Quad, Ellicott Complex, as well as a "photos from around the world" contest in the graduate student lounge, 404A Wilkeson. A graduate student symposium will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Monday in 144 Wilkeson, and the second annual International Festival and Game Night will be held at 8:30 p.m. Nov. 15 in 404A Wilkeson.
In addition, students in the "Integrated Environmental Management" course (Geo470/Geo570/Law777) will present to stakeholders in the community their strategies on how to preserve water quality and quantity in the Cattaraugus Creek Watershed. The presentation, which is open to the public, will take place from 7-10 p.m. Tuesday in the Law Conference Center on the fifth floor of O'Brian Hall, North Campus.
Print sale scheduled
The Department of Visual Studies will hold its annual print sale from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Nov. 15 in the atrium of the Center for the Arts, North Campus.
Admission is free.
The sale will feature original, framed and unframed prints created by faculty, students and alumni in a variety of print media, including lithography, etching, woodcut, silkscreen, linoleum, photographs and digital prints. Most pieces are priced from $50 to $75.
Proceeds will support student research and scholarship in print media.
For further information, call 645-6878, ext. 1369.
Iggerses to speak at open house
Georg Iggers, SUNY Distinguished Professor Emeritus in the Department of History, and his wife, Wilma, professor emerita of history at Canisius College, will be the featured speakers at the Humanities Institute's Fall Open House, to be held from 4-6 p.m. Wednesday in the Special Collections Research Room, 420 Capen Hall, North Campus.
The Iggerses will talk about their book, "Two Lives in Uncertain Times: Facing the Challenges of the 20th Century as Scholars and Citizens," a joint autobiography. The book relates their different experiences of childhood and adolescence, and their lives together over almost six decades during which they combined their roles as parents and scholars with their social and political activities. The book will be available for sale at the open house.
The open house is part of the Humanities Institute's mission to develop and strengthen UB's ties to the community. It consists of a lecture by a UB humanities faculty member, followed by a discussion and reception.
Organist to give recital
Highly regarded organist Todd Wilson, fellow and choirmaster certificate holder from the American Guild of Organists, will give an organ recital at 8 p.m. Nov. 16 in Lippes Concert Hall in Slee Hall, North Campus, as part of the Department of Music's Slee/Visiting Artist Series.
The performance is co-sponsored by the Buffalo chapter of the American Guild of Organists.
Wilson's program includes music that is noted for demonstrating the power and essence of the organ by drawing on all of its resources, such as the variation movement from Widor's fifth organ symphony and Reubke's Sonata on the 94th Psalm, which features an intense pedal technique that is considered to be the pinnacle of the Romantic period in organ literature. On most organs, it is virtually impossible for the audience to see the pedals; on the Fisk organ in Lippes Concert Hall, however, the audience will be able to view Wilson's technique.
Advanced tickets are $12 for general admission; $9 for UB faculty/staff/alumni, senior citizens and WNED members with card; and $5 for students and may be purchased at the Slee box office, the Center for the Arts box office and at all Ticketmaster outlets. Tickets are $20, $15 and $8 at the door.
'Phantoms' to sing in CFA
The Center for the Arts will present "Three Phantoms in Concert" at 8 p.m. Nov. 16 in the Mainstage theater in the CFA, North Campus.
Starring Craig Schulman, Cris Groenendaal and Ted Keegan, "Three Phantoms In Concert" showcases the individual talents of these three artists, all of whom have played the Phantom at some point in their careers. In addition to selections from "The Phantom of the Opera," the artists also will perform solos, duets and trios—accompanied by a live band—from various other musicals, including "Les Misérables," "My Fair Lady," "Guys and Dolls," "Kiss Me Kate," "Most Happy Fella," "Oklahoma!" "Man Of La Mancha," "Sweeney Todd" and many more.
Each tenor has about 20 years of Broadway experience. Keegan has performed on the "Today Show" as the Phantom, sang the role in Madison Square Garden and has toured nationally. Schulman is the only U.S. actor to have portrayed three of the greatest musical-theater roles: the Phantom, Jean Valjean in "Les Misérables" and the title roles in "Jekyll & Hyde." Groenendaal has played the role of the Phantom in about 860 different performances throughout Canada and in New York City.
Tickets for "Three Phantoms in Concert" are $38 and $28, and $24 for students and are available at the CFA box office from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, and at all Ticketmaster locations, including Ticketmaster.com.
For more information, call 645-ARTS.