BIOMINERALIZATION - NATURE'S WAY OF CRYSTALLIZING - Dr. Christine Orme describes how she and her colleague's image moving atomic steps and how these movies hint at the way bones, teeth, and kidney stones grow. Part of the "What Physicists Do" lecture series. 4 p.m., Monday, Oct. 16, Darwin 103. (707) 664-2119.
AUTISM LECTURE SERIES - Dr. Deborah Ross-Swain discusses communication and processing issues in autism. Swain defines problem areas and skills needed for communication and describes assessment and treatment approaches, including PECS and the use of music. Collaborative Autism Training and Support Program. 10-11:30 a.m., Tuesday, Oct. 17, Student Union Multipurpose Room, (707) 664-2402.
BREAST CANCER OPEN FORUM - A discussion of Linda Blachman's book and lecture. Breast cancer affects women of all ages, including those with young children. Questions include what are the cultural barriers mothers with cancer are challenged with? What changes could be made in services for mother's facing cancer? Women and Gender Studies lecture series. 4 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 17, Darwin 29. (707) 664-2306.
WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION - Lecture by Lynn Cominsky, Professor of Physics and Astronomy. War and Peace lecture series. 4 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 17, Warren Auditorium, (707) 664-2146.
WHO IS THE SUBJECT: QUEER THEORY MEETS ORAL HISTORY - Lecture by Nan Alamilla-Boyd of the Women's and Gender Studies department. Social Science Brown Bag Lecture Series. Noon, Tuesday, Oct. 17, Stevenson 2011, (707) 664-2112.
LUCY PULS - A mixed media sculptor who is drawn to stacks of discarded stuff -- cups and saucers, toasters and Barbie dolls -- that languish in thrift shops before landing in the dump. Over the years, Puls has rescued these cast-off cultural artifacts and turned them into works of art. Visiting Artists Lecture Series. Noon-1 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 17, Art 108. (707) 664-2364.
THE STATISTICS OF STUDENT SUCCESS - Cora Neal, Professor of Mathematics, discusses the field of Institutional Research as we look at decisions all universities have to make and the problems they face. Several statistical techniques will be used to investigate a data set involving Native Alaskan students at the University of Alaska Anchorage. Math Colloquium. 4-5 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 18, Darwin 103, (707) 664-3324.
LE PLACARD - Francois Pignon works as an accountant in a rubber factory, is about to be fired. His new neighbor spreads the rumor that he's gay so that the factory management might be afraid they'll be sued for sexual discrimination. French Film lecture series. 7 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 18, Nichols 173. (707) 664-3159.
EXPLORING THE MIDDLE EAST - Anne Goldman of the English Department discusses the Politics of Home: Memoirs of a Middle Eastern Childhood and Rocky Rohwedder of the ENSP Department discusses Water & Peace: Teaching the Youth of the Middle East. Noon-1:30 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 19. Schulz 3001. University Library lecture series. Karen Brodsky, (707) 664-4240.
IS YOUR DATA REALLY BACKED UP? - Robert Plantz of the Computer Science Department addresses backing up issues in the context of Linux and Mac OS X on the desktop, but the concepts apply to any environment. Computer Science Colloquium. Noon, Thursday, Oct. 19, Darwin 102. (707) 664-2667.
MOLECULAR SCALE MEASUREMENTS - Dr. Jim Hollenhorst, Vice President and Director of the Molecular Technology Lab at Agilent Technologies Labs, describes the work on new measurement techniques enabled by applying the techniques of electronics technology to the field of life sciences, or by novel ways of building and measuring molecular scale structures. Reception 4 p.m.; lecture 4:30 p.m.; Q&A 5 p.m. Engineering Science Lecture Series. Thursday, Oct. 19, Cerent Engineering Science Complex, Salazar 2009A, (707) 664-2030.
BEEN RICH ALL MY LIFE - A documentary about a group of chorus dancers known as the Silver Belles finds the former Harlem-based performers enjoying a fun and dance-filled retirement; the youngest member of the Belles was a mere 84 years old at the time of filming. Sonoma Film Institute. 7 p.m., Friday, Oct. 20. Warren Auditorium, (707) 664-2606.
IN THE GALLERIES
THE GRASS FAMILY - Work by artist Wopo Holup through Oct. 29. 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday - Friday, Noon - 5 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays, Library Art Gallery, (707) 664-4240.
