Sun	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat
				01 5pm» Lecture on prion disease to be given	02 6pm» MSU pow wow	03
04 (Week 19)	05	06	07	08 11:30am» Arkansas World Trade Center Hosts World Trade Month 4pm» Malaysia's first man in space to speak at Cal State San Bernardino	09 12pm» Meet Iraqi citizens at free forum on May 9 1pm» Everyone’s invited to attend UW during Day on Campus	10 1pm» Cotsen Institute of Archaeology presents annual open house
11 (Week 20)	12 Wheeler Center hosts forum on opportunities in climate change	13 12pm» Educational pioneer highlights Cal State San Bernardino's 'Conversations on Dive	14	15	16	17 8am» Genetic and Environmental Links to Cancer Explored at May 17 Public Forum
18 (Week 21)	19	20	21	22	23	24
25 (Week 22)	26	27	28	29	30	31

Time:

5:00pm

Description:

A free public lecture on "Prion diseases: mad cows, wasting deer, cannibals, etc." will be held Thursday, May 1, at Montana State University.

Byron Caughey from the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases in Hamilton will speak at 5 p.m. in the Byker Auditorium of MSU's new Chemistry and Biochemistry Building. A reception will follow in the atrium.

Caughey, a biochemist, is a senior investigator and chief of the TSE/prion biochemistry section of the Laboratory of Persistent Viral Diseases, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health in Hamilton. His research has shown how rogue proteins, called prions, could propagate and potentially lead to mad cow disease and its human equivalent, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.

Caughey received his Ph.D. in biochemistry from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1985. In 1986, after post-doctoral studies at Duke University, he began TSE/prion research at Rocky Mountain Laboratories as a post-doc. He established his own lab at RML in 1989 and has continued to focus on prion diseases. His major scientific interests include prion structure, cell biology, species barriers, strains, detection and therapeutics.

Caughey's lecture is part of the Kopriva Science Seminar Series, which was established in 1991 by Phil Kopriva, a 1957 microbiology graduate from MSU. Kopriva, who died in 2002, set up the seminar series, as well as the Kopriva Graduate Fellowship Program, to provide support and opportunities for graduate students in the College of Letters and Science, particularly in the biomedical sciences. Starting this fall, the series will feature four seminars annually, with talks given by MSU graduate students, faculty members and guest speakers.

Evelyn Boswell, (406) 994-5135 or evelynb@montana.edu

Time:

6:00pm

Description:

The annual Montana State University American Indian Council Pow Wow will be held May 2-3 at MSU's Brick Breeden Fieldhouse.

The MSU pow wow is one of the largest in Montana and all pow wow events are free and open to all.

The MSU pow wow is usually held in April but for this year only will be held in May, according to Jim Burns of MSU Native American studies and adviser to the MSU American Indian Council, a group of students who produce the non-profit event. He said the event was rescheduled this year to avoid conflict with other Native American events in the state.

"This allows dancers, drum groups, vendors, and audience members to participate in as many pow wows as they desire," Burns said.

The pow wow begins at 6 p.m. Friday, May 2, with the grand entry. There will also be grand entries at noon and 6 p.m. on Saturday, May 3. Dance and drum competitions are always a key feature of the event. Booths around the edge of the dance arena will offer the crafts of traditional artists and artisans throughout the pow wow. A free chili dinner will be served on Saturday beginning about 4:30 p.m.

A Montana tribal living history symposium that was scheduled May 1-2 at the MSU Museum of the Rockies to be held in connection with the pow wow has been postponed.

For more information, contact Jim Burns (406) 994-4880 or e-mail him at jburns@montana.edu, or call Native American Studies, (406) 994-3881.

Jim Burns (406) 994-4880, jburns@montana.edu

Time:

11:30am - 1:00pm

Description:

The Arkansas World Trade Center, in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Commerce, will host a “brown bag” lecture from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday, May 8. Abdul Shaikh, regional coordinator for the Africa, Middle East and South Asia trade information center, will discuss “Opportunities and Challenges in Doing Business with India.”

The lecture will be held at the trade center’s offices in Rogers. It is free, and the public is welcome.

Time:

4:00pm - 6:00pm

Description:

SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. - Malaysia's first man in space, Muszaphar Shukor, will lecture at Cal State San Bernardino on Thursday, May 8, about his outer space experiences, including his medical experiments in the international space station and a rough re-entry back to Earth.

Shukor, an orthopedic surgeon who practices in Kuala Lumpur, was part of a three-member flight team, which included a Russian and an American. The Soyuz TMA-11 mission lasted from Oct. 10-21, 2007.

Shukor was selected by the Malaysian National Space Agency as one of two finalists for training in Russia and ultimately became the first Malaysian in space.

Shukor's lecture is from 4 to 6 p.m. in the university's Physical Sciences Building, room 10, and is sponsored by Cal State San Bernardino's University Diversity Committee, the world languages and literatures department and the Center for Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies.

On the journey, Shukor conducted medical experiments related to the characteristics and growth of liver cancer and leukemia cells and the crystallization of various proteins and microbes in space. The experiments are expected to benefit general science and medical research.

Shukor's flight was also noteworthy because the mission coincided with the last days of Ramadan, the month when Muslims fast from dawn to dusk.

Clerics said Shukor, a devout Muslim, could delay the fast because he was in space. But Shukor said he would fast and pray in space even though it would be a problem kneeling at zero gravity.

But gravity was the least of Shukor's challenges. Because the spacecraft circled Earth 16 times a day, the astronaut would, in theory, have to pray 80 times in 24 hours, and facing Mecca would be difficult as the Soyuz traveled at a high speed. Also, Muslims are required to wash their hands, feet, face and hair before prayers. The practice posed another problem, because water is such a precious commodity in space that even sweat and urine are recycled.

To deal with the unique problem, 150 Malaysian scholars, scientists, and astronauts developed and published an 18-page booklet of guidelines for Muslim astronauts.

The guidelines allowed Shukor to forgo fasting in space and make it up upon his return to Earth. And he could pray three times instead of five, facing any direction and without the ritual washing.

The return to Earth was rough for the astronauts. A faulty control cable forced the spacecraft to descend at a steeper angle than usual, subjecting the crew to 8.5 times the force of gravity instead of the usual four "Gs". The three space travelers were not injured during the descent, but it took them slightly longer to readjust to Earth's conditions.

For more information on Shukor's presentation, contact Dany Doueiri at (909) 537-5814 or e-mail him at ddoueiri@csusb.edu.

Time:

12:00pm - 2:00pm

Description:

Five politically active Iraqi citizens will give their views on rebuilding Iraq at a free Wonderlust Friday Forum on May 9 from noon to 2 p.m.

The Iraqi citizens are visiting Bozeman through the Montana Center for International Visitors and the U.S. State Department. The three men and two women are members of Iraqi government and provincial councils and the Kurdistan National Assembly. They are available for questions and dialogue about their country.

The presentation also includes Richard Galli, a Bozeman High School teacher who served in Iraq with the Montana National Guard. Galli will give geographical and political background information on Iraq.

The event takes place at Pilgrim Congregational Church, 2118 S. Third Ave. It is free and open to all. Coffee, tea and desserts are provided; attendees are encouraged to bring a sack lunch.

Wonderlust is a lifelong learning organization affiliated with MSU Extended University. For more information, visit http://eu.montana.edu/wonderlust.

Office of Continuing Education, 994-6683

Time:

1:00pm

Description:

It's a dream of many to learn on the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus. The Wisconsin Alumni Association (WAA) again this spring offers the opportunity to turn those dreams into reality for those who lived the dream years ago, or for anyone wants a campus experience.

Alumni and friends alike are invited to reconnect with the university by attending WAA's Day on Campus on Friday, May 9. This popular program, presented twice a year, offers the chance to learn from renowned UW-Madison faculty, mingle among colleagues and explore campus.

For $30 per person, participants are welcome to take part in three sessions scheduled for 1 p.m., 2:15 p.m. and 3:30 p.m., with multiple lectures to choose from during each session. All sessions will be held in the Pyle Center, 702 Langdon St. in Madison. The registration deadline is Friday, May 2.

Confirmed topics and speakers include:

* "Same Time, Same Station: The History of 1950s Television," by Jim Baughman, professor and director, School of Journalism;
* "Religious Conflict in Nigeria: The Grin of the Cheshire Cat," by Ambassador John Campbell, Ret., visiting scholar, Division of International Studies;
* "Electing a President in 2008: A Look at the Campaign," by John Coleman, professor and chair, Department of Political Science;
* "Stem Cells: From Basic Biology to Potential Therapeutic Applications," by Allison Ebert, assistant scientist, Waisman Center;
* "Biofuels — Challenges and Opportunities," by Randy Fortenbery, professor, Department of Agriculture and Applied Economics;
* "Through the Candy Store Window: The Art and Science of Making Candy," by Rich Hartel, professor, Department of Food Science;
* "Life of an American Doctor in the Amazon," by Linnea Smith '81, MD'84, medical director, Yanamono Clinic (Peru) and 2008 WAA Distinguished Alumni Award Winner;
* "Are We REALLY Ready for the Boomers?" by Joanne Disch '68, Katherine C. and C. Walton Lillehei Chair in Nursing Leadership at the University of Minnesota, where she directs the Katharine J. Densford International Center for Nursing Leadership, and a 2008 WAA Distinguished Alumni Award winner.

Founded in 1861, WAA offers UW-Madison alumni and friends a wide variety of services, including the award-winning On Wisconsin Magazine, Badger Insider Magazine, student programs and scholarships, career services, and lifelong learning events.

Time:

1:00pm - 4:00pm

Description:

WHAT:
The world-famous Cotsen Institute of Archaeology at UCLA, where 75 working archaeologists analyze and store their findings, invites the public to its annual open house. Among other attractions, visitors can ponder the actual tools that gave the Stone Age its name, witness a technique for identifying ancient diets using the bones of contemporary animals and discover how charcoal is used to deduce the agricultural practices of the past. In all, 16 labs will showcase their archaeological projects, from sites as nearby as the Channel Islands and Mojave Desert and as distant as Easter Island and Jerusalem. Three renowned Cotsen archaeologists will also give brief presentations on their work.

In addition, the Fowler Museum at UCLA, which houses the Cotsen Institute, will offer public tours of its new exhibition, "Mami Wata: Arts for Water Spirits in Africa and Its Diasporas," at 2 and 3:30 p.m. The Fowler explores art and culture from Africa, Asia and the Pacific, and the Americas.

WHEN:
1 to 4 p.m. on Saturday, May 10

WHERE:
The Cotsen Institute of Archaeology is located on the basement level of the Fowler Museum at UCLA, on the northern edge of the UCLA campus.

COST:
Admission to the Cotsen Institute and Fowler Museum is free. Parking is available in Lot 4 for $8.

INFORMATION:
For information, call (310) 206-8934 or visit www.ioa.ucla.edu.

Description:

Opportunities for Montanans arising from climate change will be the topic of an upcoming Burton K. Wheeler Center conference to be held May 12-13 in the Strand Union Ballrooms of Montana State University in Bozeman.

"Climate Change in Montana: Impacts and Opportunities for Energy and Agriculture" will focus on the future of Montana's agriculture and energy sectors. Among the issues to be addressed during the two-day policy conference are the impacts on crops and livestock if the state enters a period of long-term climatic changes. Changes and new ideas that might be considered by the agricultural community, the impact on the state's energy resources, and the future directions of technologies will also be discussed. Additionally, the intersection of ag and energy sectors in the emerging carbon trading arena will be addressed.

Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer will open the program during the second day of the conference. Speakers will include Randy Udall, an energy consultant based in Colorado. Whitney MacMillan, former president of Cargill, Inc., will be the keynote speaker.

The conference will be of particular interest to those in the agriculture and energy sectors (traditional and non-traditional), environmentally-based organizations, the education community, state agencies, climate scientists, current and former legislators, state, city and county officials, and all others who have a role in making Montana's energy and agricultural economies work.

The registration fee for the conference, which is open to the general public, is $45, which includes three meals.

For more information about the conference, or to register, go to the Wheeler Center Website at: http://www.montana.edu/wheeler/spring_2008_info.htm

The Burton K. Wheeler Center for Public Policy at MSU is a non-profit organization that promotes the discussion, analysis and eventual resolution of critical issues facing Montana and the region.

Julie Hitchcock (406) 994-0336, jhitch@montana.edu

Time:

12:00pm - 1:30pm

Description:

SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. - Dorothy E. Inghram, the first African American teacher in San Bernardino County, will be the featured speaker at the "Conversations on Diversity" lecture series at Cal State San Bernardino on Tuesday, May 13, from noon-1:30 p.m. in the university's Santos Manuel Student Union Events Center.

Inghram, a life-long San Bernardino resident, was California's first African American superintendent of a school district and has been a local pioneer, civic leader, community activist, author and role model to hundreds of students throughout her career.

She is the author of five books, including "Beyond All This," which chronicles her family's history in San Bernardino along with other African Americans from 1888-1971.

While a student at San Bernardino Valley College in 1929, Inghram composed the music for the college's alma mater, which is still used today.

In 1977, the West Highland Avenue location was named the Dorothy Inghram Branch Library in her honor.

A strong but quiet activist for equality and civil rights, Inghram received an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Cal State San Bernardino in 2003.

Presented by CSUSB's University Diversity Committee, the lecture is free and open to the public with guest parking available. It is co-sponsored by the CSUSB Access Committee and the departments of Graduate Studies, Human Resources, Parking Services and Undergraduate Studies.

For more information on the event, contact the Twillea Carthen at (909) 537-5138.

Time:

8:00am - 12:30pm

Description:

CINCINNATI—People who want to understand how environmental exposures can affect their overall health are invited to attend the fourth annual public forum on the environment and cancer offered by the Cincinnati Breast Cancer and the Environment Research Center (BCERC).

The event—“Looking Upstream for Environmental Links to Breast Cancer”—is a resource for anyone who wants to understand how the environment might affect their risk for cancer and other diseases.

It takes place Saturday, May 17, from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the University of Cincinnati’s (UC) Genome Research Institute, 2180 Galbraith Rd.

Author and breast cancer survivor Nancy Evans will give the keynote address. Evans is a health science consultant for the Breast Cancer Fund and the original editor of State of the Evidence: What is the Connection Between the Environment and Breast Cancer? She is also co-producer of the documentary films “Rachel’s Daughters: Searching for the Causes of Breast Cancer,” “Children and Asthma,” and “Good Food, Bad Food: Obesity in American Children.” Evans was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1991, and became a leader in the grassroots breast cancer movement.

In addition, Jennifer Ruschman, a researcher with Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, will help attendees understand the links between genetics and breast cancer beyond their family medical histories.

Lisa DeRoo, PhD, of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), will explain the research goals behind a large research project being conducted nationwide—known as the Sister Study—designed to help scientists understand the genetic and environmental risk factors for breast cancer.

Established in 2003, the Cincinnati BCERC—one of only four such centers in the nation—is a joint research effort between the UC College of Medicine and Cincinnati Children’s. The BCERC’s work focuses on potential links between environmental factors, puberty and breast cancer, and on educating the community about its findings. The center is funded by a seven-year grant from the NIEHS and the National Cancer Institute.

The center has three primary projects: a laboratory research study looking at the effects of diet on mammary gland development; “Growing Up Female,” a local epidemiologic (population) study that focuses on environmental and genetic factors that might contribute to early onset puberty; and a community outreach and education program.

Researchers from UC and Cincinnati Children’s will give updates on these projects at the forum.

This year’s event is supported by the Breast Cancer Alliance of Greater Cincinnati, Interfaith Alliance, Patterns Inc., Pink Ribbon Girls and the Sisters Network Cincinnati.

Registration for the event is $15 and includes a buffet breakfast, educational materials and parking. Space is limited and registration is required. For more information, visit www.eh.uc.edu/growingupfemale or call (513) 558-0092.

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