The University Library Art Gallery at Sonoma State University is thrilled to announce the premiere exhibition of the artworks of Melanie Kent Steinhardt (1899-1952), which opens Jan. 30 and runs through March 24.
A public reception will be held Feb. 10 in the University Library Art Gallery from 5:30-8 p.m., with remarks at 7 p.m. by Richard Hill, Kent Steinhardt's grandson who painstakingly researched his grandmother's life in order to preserve her artworks and legacy.
Melanie Kent Steinhardt was an aspiring Bohemian Jewish artist who left Europe in 1939 and finally settled in California in 1941. This diverse and compelling collection of compositions, portraits and landscapes blends European Expressionism with an emigre's troubled impressions of two World Wars, a woman's place in a male dominated world, and her new life in America.
The artist's residency in Inglewood, amid the burgeoning military industrial complex of 1940s Southern California, informed some of her most compelling work, and provided her an opportunity to reconnect with her estranged family.
Melanie Kent Steinhardt died suspiciously at the age of 52 in her Los Angeles studio--whether by accident or suicide remains a mystery.
Richard Hill and his wife Marna, who reside in Sonoma County, published in 2002 "Mela: The Life and Art of Melanie Kent Steinhardt," a limited edition art biography. Images of some of the works that will appear in the exhibition can be viewed on the University Library website at http://library.sonoma.edu/about/gallery.html
The University Library Art Gallery is open Monday-Saturday 10-5 p.m. and Sunday noon-5 p.m. A daily parking permit ($2.50) is required except Fridays after 5 p.m., on weekends, or holidays. Daily permits are not valid in reserved lots.
For more information contact Karen Brodsky at (707) 664-4240.
BOUDU SAVED FROM DROWNING - In 1932, Jean Renoir went out of the studio and shot this film on the streets of Paris--a lovely fable about a bourgeois attempt to reform an early hippie. Sonoma Film Institute. 4 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 5, Warren Auditorium, (707) 664-2606.
SEEING THE INVISIBLES: THE CHALLENGE TO PARTICLE PHYSICS IN THE NEW MILLENNIUM - Dr. Hitoshi Murayama of the UC Berkeley will discuss the challenges in attempting to understand the 95% of the universe that is not made up of ordinary matter. What Physicists Do Lecture Series. 4 p.m., Monday, Feb. 6, Schulz 3001, (707) 664-2119.
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND AND VIDEOS - An overview of topics that will presented during the lecture series, hosted by participating faculty. Holocaust Lecture Series. 4 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 7, Warren Auditorium, (707) 664-4076.
FORGOTTEN GENIUS: THE ART OF RICHARD MAYHEW - Lecture by Janet Hess of the SSU Hutchins School of Liberal Studies. Arts and Humanities Forum. Noon, Wednesday, Feb.8, Schulz 1121, (707) 664-2146.
THE TRIANGLE: GREATEST HITS - Rick Luttmann, professor of mathematics at SSU, reprises some of the results (special triangle points, nine-point circles, etc.) discussed in his Fall 2005 talk and add several new ones as well. M*A*T*H Colloquium. 4 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 8, Stevenson 1002, (707) 664-2368.
PORT OF SHADOWS ("QUAI DES BRUMES") - This film is a brooding story of love between a Colonial army deserter (Jean Gabin) and an orphan (Michele Morgan), on the waterfront of Le Havre. Sonoma Film Institute. 7 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 9, Stevenson 1002, (707) 664-2606.
RANDALL ROBINSON - An internationally respected foreign policy advocate, author, and founder of TransAfrica. Robinson will discuss issues concerning conflict and peace, along with current issues impacting the African and Caribbean worlds. SSU students admitted free, SSU faculty and staff: $10, General admission: $15. Conversation Peace: Randall Robinson. 7:30 p.m., Friday, Feb. 10, The Cooperage, (707) 664-2537.
WINTER SOLDIER - In February 1971, a public inquiry into war crimes committed by American forces in Vietnam was held in Detroit. A collective of filmmakers recorded the event, and produced an extraordinary documentary called "Winter Soldier." Filmmaker Lucy Massie Phenix tentatively scheduled to appear. Sonoma Film Institute. 7 p.m., Friday, Feb. 10, Warren Auditorium, (707) 664-2606.
A $1,000 college scholarship will be awarded to a high school senior who attends the Cash for College financial aid workshop from 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 11 at Sonoma State University in the Cooperage. Reservations are required since only 200 can be accommodated.
Representatives from SSU's financial aid department -- including staff fluent in Spanish--will provide information on different types of financial aid as well as answer questions. Cash for College -- a California Student Aid Commission program--is offering the $1,000 scholarship to the college of the winner's choice.
To be eligible for the scholarship, students must attend the Cash for College workshop, complete an evaluation form, turn in a Free Application for Federal Student Aid and a Cal Grant GPA Verification Form before March 2, and enroll at a college or university of their choice.
For more information about the scholarship, phone 1-888-CA-GRANT. For specific questions on the Cash for College workshop and/or to reserve a seat, phone (707) 664-2842.
Sonoma State University's Pre-College Programs provides free services to Sonoma County students.
To learn more about Pre-College Programs, phone (707) 664-2428 or visit http://www.sonoma.edu/precollege/.
A distinguished array of scientists discuss cosmology, particle physics, black holes, optics, and nanoscience in this semester's "What Physicists Do" public lecture series at Sonoma State University. Lectures will be on Mondays at 4 p.m. from Feb. 6 through May 8 in Schulz 3001 on the SSU campus. Coffee and cookies will be served at 3:30 p.m.
The series begins Feb. 6 with theoretical physicist Hitoshi Murayama of the University of California at Berkeley describing the challenge to particle physics presented by astronomers' discovery that 95% of the Universe is made up of types of matter and energy not yet detected.
The following week SSU graduate Brooke Haag, now at the University of California, Davis, describes the results of nuclear physics experiments to create "mini big bangs" at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider on Long Island. Physical oceanographer Tim Barnett of the University of California, San Diego describes recent evidence for human-induced warming of the world's oceans on Feb. 27.
On Mar. 6, astronomer Anne Metevier of the University of California, Santa Cruz will describe her efforts to measure rotation rates of galaxies, and what this information can tell us about how galaxies formed. SSU's own Lynn Cominsky will speak Mar. 13 on how visible and high-energy observations of radiation from exploding stars, blazing galaxies and monstrous black holes illuminate Einstein's vision in ways that Einstein could only imagine.
"Nanowiring the Future" is the title of Peidong Yang's lecture March 20. The UC Berkeley chemist will describe the forthcoming impact of nanowires on photonics, energy conversion, and nanoelectronics. A recent breakthrough in optics, the production of "slow light" by two physicists at Harvard University, will be the topic Mar. 27, when Mukund Vengalattore, now at Berkeley, speaks on the creation of optic elements such as amplifiers, switches and slow light waveguides using laser-cooled atoms.
Donald Brownlee, the head of NASA's Stardust mission, travels from the University of Washington April 3 to tell local audiences about the first capture and return to Earth of pieces of a comet. Another SSU physics grad, Jerilynn Schisser, speaks on April 10 on her work at Beverly Hills firm Real D on creating stereo images and their applications in movies (the 3- D version of Chicken Little), Mars exploration, and medicine.
John Dunning discusses two generations of nuclear physicists April 24: his father, who participated in the first U.S. experiment to observe uranium fission and who led the group developing gaseous diffusion to separate uranium-235 during World War II, and himself, SSU's nuclear physicist since 1969.
The series concludes with two distinguished scientists from Berkeley speaking on current and future applications of physics. On May 1, Arun Majumdar, holder of an endowed chair in mechanical engineering and recently elected to the National Academy of Engineering, describes how he and his colleagues combine the science and engineering of nanometer scales to develop novel systems and technologies.
Frances Hellman concludes the series May 8, discussing spin electronics and the making of magnetic semiconductors.
For a free poster describing all twelve lectures, see http://www.phys-astro.sonoma.edu/wpd/, send e-mail to gayle.walker@sonoma.edu, or call (707) 664-2119.
Transportation and business retention and attraction is the theme of the annual North Bay Economic Outlook Conference hosted by Sonoma State University's School of Business and Economics on Thursday, Feb. 2 at the Hyatt Vineyard Creek Hotel, Spa and Conference Center in Railroad Square in Santa Rosa.
The 2006 conference, "Getting from Here to There: Transportation Issues and Business Attraction and Retention for Growth," promises to be one of the most dynamic events of the year, says organizers.
Keynote speaker is Paul Fassinger, Director, Research & Analysis, Association of Bay Area Governments. This event is for all decision-makers and strategic planners who are looking for more information concerning the industries and areas where North Bay economic success is based on current and emerging economic trends.
Robert Eyler of the Center for Regional Economic Activity at SSU and Brian Sobel of Sobel Communications will identify and explore issues facing North Bay businesses, the local economy's role in the larger regional economy, and forecasts how state and national economic trends may affect the North Bay.
While the Conference again offers dual perspectives on local and regional economic indicators, the panels have an exciting new format. The first panel includes three perspectives on traffic and transportation in the North Bay. To promote audience participation, the second panel is an interactive panel of six presenters, each identifying the top three challenges their industries face in remaining competitive in the North Bay. Panelists include representatives from real estate, construction, bio-medical, economic development, wine, and high-tech, interspersed with questions from the audience.
For additional information or to register for the Conference, please visit the School's website at http://www.sonoma.edu/sbe or phone (707) 664-2220.
For the third year, Sonoma State University has made the annual "Most Connected Campuses" list, which features the results of a Princeton Review survey to find the 25 colleges and universities offering the most cutting edge technology. The complete list is available at http://www.forbes.com/connected.
It wasn't so long ago when a highly connected campus was one where each dorm room had its own phone line. But in order to remain competitive in the 21st century, a college has to support wireless networking, provide ultra-high-speed connections to classrooms, and even allow students to take classes online.
Today's students depend on technology to live, work and play, and today's colleges have to provide high-tech tools in order to attract the best applicants. This third annual edition of The Princeton Review's Most Connected Campuses examines the technological capabilities of the country's best schools and reports which 25 campuses are the closest to the cutting edge.
To determine the rankings for America's Most Connected Campuses, The Princeton Review solicited data from 361 top colleges and universities around the country, asking them a number of questions about the technological sophistication of their campuses.
Criteria included the breadth of the computer science curriculum; the sophistication of campus technology, including streaming media of classes and extracurricular offerings; availability of school-owned digital cameras and equipment for student use; wireless Internet access on campus; and support for handheld computing.
In previous years, The Princeton Review ranked all of the schools it surveyed. But this year, because so little difference may exist between a No. 1 and No. 2 school, they decided to single out and present only the 25 most connected campuses and not to rank further within that group.
"The schools on our list have demonstrated leadership in preparing and supporting students for life in the digital age. Students who understand the value of technology to both their career prospects and overall quality of life will want to pay special attention the schools on our list," commented Rob Franek, Vice President and Publisher, The Princeton Review.
"All of the 25 campuses on this elite list are all impressively well-connected, and they are all using technology in innovative, thought-provoking ways," says Michael Noer, Executive Editor, News, at Forbes.com. "Since the top schools all excel, we decided not to rank them this year."
Forbes.com also offers a look at the technological differences between a dorm room in 1976 and one in 2006; an overview of new Web-based services that help students find roommates, order snacks and even do their laundry; and a story about the unique challenges of securing computer networks on college campuses, and a feature on the Mars Stereo Imaging project, which uses networking technology to let undergraduates explore the surface of Mars.
Detailed profiles on these and other schools are available at http://www.princetonreview.com.
Journalist-lecturer Alison Weir presents a powerful, well-documented view of the Middle East that is at odds with what is reported in the mainstream media in an appearance at 7 p.m. on Feb. 2 in the Warren Auditorium in Ives Hall at Sonoma State University. The event is sponsored by Project Censored and is called "Israel-Palestine: What the Media Leaves Out."
In 2001, Weir founded If Americans Knew, an independent research and information-dissemination institute, with particular focus on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, U.S. foreign policy regarding the Middle East, and media coverage of this issue.
Specifically, the organization's objective is to provide information that is to a large degree "missing from American press coverage of this critical region."
Admission to the lecture is $8 for public $4 for students. A sliding scale is also offered No one will be turned away. For more information, please contact Rachel Olea-Lizarraga, Project Censored Assistant Event Coordinator, at (707) 664 -3373.
A free public forum for the Sixth Assembly District candidate race in will be held from 7-9 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 19 in Sonoma State University's Evert B. Person Theatre.
The Sixth District Assembly representative, Joe Nation, cannot run because of term limits. Because the district is predominantly Democratic, the competition in the primary elections for the Democratic candidate is extremely important, say organizers.
The candidates are John Alden, Cynthia Murray, Damon Connolly, Jared Huffman, and Pamela Torliatt.
The forum is sponsored by the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at SSU as well as the Sonoma County Democratic Central Committee - Candidate Search Committee, Sonoma County Democracy for America, Progressives Sonoma County, Santa Rosa Democratic Club, Sonoma County Latino Democratic Club and the Sixth Assembly District Democratic Committee.
For more information, contact Kathleen Shaffer, (707) 696-0664. Parking at the University is $2.50.
The Sonoma State University linguistics program will hold an information session for those interested in the Teaching English as a Second Language Certificate at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 25 in Stevenson 2065. Enrollment for the spring semester has begun, and there are openings in the program. Classes start Monday, Jan. 30. Students may also attend single courses prior to applying to the program.
On Wednesday, professor Richard Senghas will address the TESL certificate and adult education credential, teaching English as a foreign language program, and continuing academic/professional development for teachers. Other issues discussed include qualifying for financial aid, and how some of these courses may be applied towards a Masters in Education in Curriculum, Teaching and Learning
with an area emphasis in TESL.
Questions may be directed to Senghas at richard.senghas@sonoma.edu, (707)664-2307 or (707)664-2419.
The highly regarded "Entrepreneurial Boot Camp" will be presented again at Sonoma State University, January 12-15. This event provides small business owners with an opportunity to learn how to take their business to the next stage of development.
The Boot Camp is a tightly focused program of presentations, roundtable discussions, peer interaction, and exercises that include a developing a one-page business plan.
The curriculum has been designed by a team of respected researches in the field of business including Armand Gilinsky, Professor of Business at Sonoma State University, Rich McCline, co- founder of the Ohrenschall Center for Entrepreneurship at San Francisco State University and local entrepreneur Cynthia Riggs.
The Boot Camp brings small business owners together with successful entrepreneurs, academic leaders and potential investors in both structured and informal sessions.
Topics covered include entrepreneurial strategies, writing a business plan, assessing a company's financial health, conducting an industry and competitive analysis, developing marketing plans and communications, securing investors, and positioning for sale.
The event is scheduled for Thursday through Sunday so attendees can minimize the time spent away from their businesses. It concludes with an awards night dinner that honors the best business plan presentation.
Cost of the program is $849. The Entrepreneurial Boot Camp is also financially supported by local service providers who may provide scholarships for their clients or employees.
The cost covers all sessions, catered meals and the awards night dinner. Lodging for out-of-town attendees must be arranged individually.
Further information on the event is available by logging onto www.icee-success.com or calling program administrator Cindy Armstrong at (707) 539 6634, ext. 3.
A registration form is available on the website and payment may be made by phone, fax or regular mail.
Sonoma State University recently linked the campus network to a second independent Internet connection that is 10 times faster than its predecessor (1 Gbps vs. 100Mbps).
"This upgrade to our already world-class network facilitates the increased use of video, sound, and data across great distances, providing instant access to educational materials and software from remote locations," says Chief Information Officer Sam Scalise.
"It also prepares our campus to gain from innovative new developments in network-based services," he says. "Such capabilities will insure that our students remain competitive in the classrooms of tomorrow."
The high-speed network enables high-quality video conferencing from any network connection in the system, sharing of presentations, and perhaps more importantly - the cost-effective distribution and sharing of software applications throughout the CSU, Scalise says.
Sonoma is one of the first California State University campuses to complete this phase of the Technology Infrastructure Initiative that calls for a high-speed network throughout the CSU. As each campus reaches this level of performance, information will be effectively shared throughout the CSU system.
Besides better streaming of video for lectures to multiple sites, Scalise also sees the expanded network offering use of parallel computing power to conduct complex scientific research and collaboration.
Future plans for the network include increasing the speed of the first Internet connection to match the speed of the new connection. Additionally, the campus continues to expand the footprint of the wireless network, as well as enhancing network security and authentication.
Sonoma State University's Academic Talent Search Program hosts a recruitment information session for sixth and seventh grade students and their parents from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Jan. 14 in the Commons.
Through a range of activities and services, ATS aims to empower students in grades sixth through twelve to overcome barriers which could prevent them from attending the college of their choice upon graduation from high school.
The program currently serves 800 students throughout Sonoma County. This year's application deadline is Feb. 15. Applications and further information may be requested by calling (707) 664-2428.
Sonoma State University's AmeriCorps program - Sonoma SERVES - kicks off a weekend of events honoring Dr. Martin Luther King as host of the seventh annual Martin Luther King Jr. Poetry Night, 6 to 8 p.m. on Friday. Jan. 13 in the Elsie Allen High School auditorium in Santa Rosa.
Children participating in Sonoma SERVES programs will read poetry, sing songs, and perform skits based on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s powerful message of non-violent social change. For children today, faced with growing gang violence, this message is all the more relevant, organizers say.
The event will commence with guest speaker Reverend James E. Coffee from the Community Baptist Church. Reverend Coffee marched with King and has been recognized for his contributions to human rights and community education throughout Sonoma County and beyond.
Sonoma SERVES is a program of the California Institute on Human Services at Sonoma State University whose mission is to connect the resources of the University to community need. Sonoma SERVES partners with local schools to involve college student AmeriCorps members in after school, family literacy, and reading tutoring programs. For further information, contact Julie McClure, Sonoma SERVES (707) 664-4232.
