THE SEARCH FOR TERRESTRIAL PLANETS - Dr. Debra Fischer of San Francisco State University discusses new directions in the search for Earth-like planets orbiting nearby stars. Part of the "What Physicists Do" lecture series. 4 p.m., Monday, Oct. 23, Darwin 103. (707) 664-2119.
AUTISM LECTURE SERIES - Dr. Nikarre Redcoff discusses dealing with challenging behavior and helping people with autism get their needs met through functional behavior assessment and positive reinforcement of appropriate replacement behavior. Collaborative Autism Training and Support Program. 10-11:30 a.m., Tuesday, Oct. 24, Student Union Multipurpose Room, (707) 664-2402.
CHOICES IN CHILDBIRTH - Constance Sinclair of Kaiser Permanente discusses the current options available to women giving birth and recent trends in the childbirth services in medical and home settings. Women and Gender Studies lecture series. 4 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 24, Darwin 29. (707) 664-2306.
GAY VISIBILITY, HOMOPHOBIA AND RACIAL HETEROSEXUAL MASCULINITY'S - Lecture by James Dean, Professor of Sociology. Social Science Brown Bag Lecture Series. Noon, Tuesday, Oct. 24, Stevenson 2011, (707) 664-2112.
THE ISRAELI / PALESTINIAN CONFLICT: PERSONAL REFLECTIONS - Lecture by peace activists Chuck Sher, Therese Mughannan, and Laure Reichek. War and Peace lecture series. 4 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 24, Warren Auditorium, (707) 664-2146.
KNOWING MATHEMATICS AND TEACHING MATHEMATICS- Rick Marks, Professor of Mathematics, describes the pedagogical content knowledge has ties to epistemology, learning theory, educational policies and standards, research, and teacher preparation. Math Colloquium. 4-5 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 25, Darwin 103, (707) 664-3324.
ALMA MATER: INVENTION OR NECESSITY? - Carla Steinberg, lecturer in the English department, explores the need for curriculum and courses that "develop in substance and form new strategies to address the challenges of the 21st century." Arts and Humanities Forum. Noon, Thursday, Oct. 26, Schulz 3001, (707) 664-2146.
THE FORGOTTEN SEX: FORAGING ECOLOGY OF MALE CALIFORNIA SEA LIONS - Lecture by Dr. Michael Weise of the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at UC Santa Cruz. Biology Colloquium. Noon-1 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 26. Darwin 103. (707) 664-2189.
THE HP LABS VIRUS SAFE COMPUTING INITIATIVE - Alan Karp discusses the approach and primary work on a virus safe computing environment for Windows XP. Surprisingly, they don't require people to turn off their computers to protect themselves. They simply let the virus run in an environment where it can't do very much harm. Computer Science Colloquium. Noon, Thursday, Oct. 26, Darwin 102. (707) 664-2667.
ANNUAL COSTUME SHOP SALE - Wigs and pre-1910 fashions are featured in this annual sale by the SSU Center for the Performing Arts. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Thursday, Friday and Saturday, Oct. 26, 27 and 28. Evert B. Person Theatre. K.A. Kleinschmidt, (707) 664-2791.
FILMS
THE RULES OF THE GAME - Renoir's look at bourgeois life in France at the onset of World War II. An assorted cast of characters - the rich and their poor servants - meet up at a French chateau for various reasons and the result is murder. Sonoma Film Institute. 7 p.m., Friday, Oct. 27. Warren Auditorium, (707) 664-2606.
ANATOMIE (dir. Stefan Ruzowitzky, 2000) - A thriller about a medical student at Heidelberg who knows she is on for something very strange when the body of a young man she met on the train turns up on her dissection table. German Film Series. Admission free. Films shown with English subtitles. 7 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 25, Erin Fisher-Room second floor of Student Union. Michaela Grobbel, Department of Modern Languages and Literatures, 4-2637.
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.
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.
PART TWO OF THE TROUBLES WE'VE SEEN: A HISTORY OF JOURNALISM IN WARTIME - An exploration of the ethical challenges of war reporting, in which Marcel Ophuls examines attitudes toward war in the Western media, and in the societies they inform. Sonoma Film Institute. 4 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 8. Warren Auditorium, (707) 664-2606.
THE PLUG-IN HYBRID - Dr. Andrew Frank of the University of California, Davis will describe a way to transition from oil-powered transportation without a disturbance in our social structure. Part of the "What Physicists Do" lecture series. 4 p.m., Monday, Oct. 9, Darwin 103. (707) 664-2119.
FRENCH AUTHOR TO SPEAK ON CUBAN AMERICAN RELATIONS - Salim Lamrani: Editor of "SUPERPOWER PRINCIPLES" is a French researcher at the University of Sorbonne, specializing in the US-Cuba relations. Superpower Principles is a compilation of essays written by Noam Chomsky, Howard Zinn, Michael Parenti, James Petras, William Blum, Saul Landau, Leonard Weinglass, Nadine Gordimer, Wayne S. Smith, and others on Cuban-American affairs. Monday, Oct. 9. 7:30 p.m., Darwin 103.
PARTNERS IN PLAY - Laura Temple MA, and Kevin Wood PPS, provides an overview of emotional development and primary social skills deficit of autism; play and social skill development, including developmentally based play strategies. Collaborative Autism Training and Support Program. 10-11:30 a.m., Tuesday, Oct. 10, Student Union Multipurpose Room, (707) 664-2402.
HEALING THROUGH STORY, LISTENING, AND LEGACY - Linda Blachman, author of "Another Morning: Voices of Truth and Hope from Mothers with Cancer" addressees the plight of ill mothers in an unsupportive culture. Women and Gender Studies lecture series. 4 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 10, Darwin 29. (707) 664-2306.
WHY WE FIGHT: THE PSYCHOLOGY OF INSTITUTIONALIZED VIOLENCE - Presented by Craig Chalquist, SSU Lecturer in the Psychology department. War and Peace lecture series. 4 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 10, Warren Auditorium, (707) 664-2146.
COMPLEXITY, DEMOCRACY & SUSTAINABILITY: REFLECTIONS ON THE 50TH CONFERENCE OF THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR THE SYSTEMS SCIENCES - Lecture presented by Debora Hammond, Associate Professor of Liberal Studies. Arts and Humanities Forum. Noon, Wednesday, Oct. 11, Schulz 3001, (707) 664-2146.
CHEMICAL SYNAPSES AND CELL COMMUNICATION - THE HODGKIN-HUXLEY APPROACH - Sunil Tiwari, SSU Professor of Mathematics will discuss a Nobel prize winning experiment by Hodgkin and Huxley in medicine and will give a mathematical explanation of cell-to-cell communication involving chemical synapses. Math Colloquium. 4-5 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 11, Darwin 103, (707) 664-3324.
TESTING HISTORICAL METAPHORS: CONFLICT IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND REFLECTIONS ON THE WAR IN THE MIDDLE EAST - Discussion on the Middle East with Bill Poe, Professor of History and Barry Preisler, Professor of Political Science. Noon-1:30 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 12. Schulz 3001. University Library lecture series. Karen Brodsky, (707) 664-4240.
SCORING ALIGNMENT GAPS IN THE TWILIGHT ZONE - Barbara Chapman, Professor in the Computer Science department discusses a proposed structure-sensing scoring method that performs well on tests of execution time, sensitivity, and alignment quality. Computer Science Colloquium. Noon, Thursday, Oct. 12, Darwin 102. (707) 664-2667.
SIR NO SIR - A documentary about the Vietnam War era's GI protest movement. The film is jammed with incident and anecdote and moves with nearly as much breathless momentum as the movement itself. 7-9 p.m., Friday, Oct. 13, Stevenson 1002. (707) 664-2588.
IN THE GALLERIES
THE GRASS FAMILY - Work by artist Wopo Holup. 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday - Friday, Noon - 5 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays, Library Art Gallery, (707) 664-4240.
ART FACULTY EXHIBITION - Work by the faculty of the Art Department. Tuesday-Friday 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., weekends noon to 4 p.m., University Art Gallery, (707) 664-2295.
BEYOND THE LIMITS OF MAGNETIC RECORDING - Dr. Mason Williams of the Hitachi San Jose Research Lab will discuss physical limits to future progress in aerial density of magnetic disk drive storage. Part of the "What Physicists Do" lecture series. 4 p.m., Monday, Oct. 2, Darwin 103. (707) 664-2119.
APPLIED BEHAVIORAL ANALYSIS - Dr. Mary Ann Powers PhD presents an overview of Antecedent-Behavior-Consequence models and practical tips for the fundamentals of their use. Collaborative Autism Training and Support Program. 10-11:30 a.m., Tuesday, Oct. 3, Student Union Multipurpose Room, (707) 664-2402.
YOON LEE - Yoon Lee creates large-scale computer-generated paintings using vividly colored acrylic paint out of plastic bottles to create slick, tactile surfaces filled with dynamic swarms of abstract shapes. Visiting Artists Lecture Series. Noon-1 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 3, Art 108. (707) 664-2364.
CHALLENGES TO THE USE OF CROSS NATIONAL INCOME AND POVERTY DATA - Lecture by John Kramer of the SSU Political Science Department. Social Science Brown Bag Lecture Series. Noon, Tuesday, Oct. 3, Stevenson 2011, (707) 664-2112.
THE ARMAMENTS INDUSTRY - Presented by Peter Phillips, SSU Professor of Sociology and Director of Project Censored, and by Jerrell Richer, SSU Professor of Economics. War and Peace lecture series. 4 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 3, Warren Auditorium, (707) 664-2146.
STANDING IN FRONT OF A RUN-AWAY TRAIN: ONE WOMAN'S WORK TO INFLUENCE MEDICAL PRACTICE RELATED TO DYING NEWBORNS - Dr. Anita Catlin, will discuss her twelve-year journey to influence the care of dying newborns, Part of the Women and Gender Studies lecture series. 4 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 3, Darwin 29. (707) 664-2306.
MATH IN THE MOVIES - Have you ever sat down and watched a movie, heard or seen some mathematics spoken or demonstrated and wondered if it was said or done correctly? Math Colloquium. 4-5 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 4, Darwin 103, (707) 664-3324.
PACTE DES LOUPS (BROTHERHOOD OF THE WOLVES) - Set in 18th century France, the Chevalier de Fronsac and his Native American friend Mani are sent by the King to the Gevaudan province to investigate the killings of hundreds by a mysterious beast. French Film lecture series. 7 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 4, Nichols 173. (707) 664-3159.
COOPERATION AND CONFLICT OVER PARENTAL CARE IN COMMUNALLY BREEDING INSECTS - Lecture by Dr. Andrew Zink of the Department of Entomology at UC Davis. Biology Colloquium. Noon-1 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 5. Darwin 103. (707) 664-2189.
CITIZENS OF THE WORLD: ON COMMON GROUND? - A panel discussion on Africa with Karin Enstam, Professor of Anthropology; Rheyna Laney, Professor of Geography: and Richard Zimmer, Professor of Anthropology. Noon-1:30 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 5. Schulz 3001. University Library lecture series. Karen Brodsky, (707) 664-4240.
REVERSE ENGINEERING FOR VULNERABILITY RESEARCH - Adam Gowdiak from Sun Microsystems will present the latest trends in the reverse engineering area with a focus on the techniques used by security researchers to analyze binaries for security defects. Computer Science Colloquium. Noon, Thursday, Oct. 5, Darwin 102. (707) 664-2667.
PART ONE OF THE TROUBLES WE’VE SEEN: A HISTORY OF JOURNALISM IN WARTIME - An exploration of the ethical challenges of war reporting, in which Marcel Ophuls examines attitudes toward war in the Western media, and in the societies they inform. Sonoma Film Institute. 7 p.m., Friday, Oct. 6. Warren Auditorium, (707) 664-2606.
IN THE GALLERIES
THE GRASS FAMILY - Work by artist Wopo Holup. 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday - Friday, Noon - 5 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays, Library Art Gallery, (707) 664-4240.
ART FACULTY EXHIBITION - Work by the faculty of the Art Department. Tuesday-Friday 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., weekends noon to 4 p.m., University Art Gallery, (707) 664-2295.
Explore fossils from over 500 million years ago, experience state-of-the-art triple boot computers, and discover the hidden secrets inside human genes at Sonoma State University.
After a mere eighteen months, the newly renovated Charles Darwin Hall is open to the public. The School of Science and Technology is hosting a special dedication and ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday Sept. 29, 2006, from 1 to 6 p.m., in Darwin hall. Light refreshments will be served.
Darwin is home to the departments of Geology, Computer Science, Chemistry, Physics, Astronomy, Biology and Mathematics. During the ceremony there will be self-guided tours available through each department.
The Geology department is displaying 500 million year old fossils from Death Valley, and the microscopic structure of rocks under a petrographic microscope.
The Computer Science department is displaying their new Computer Literacy and Multimedia Laboratory and providing demonstrations of their Intel-based triple-boot (Windows/Mac/Linux) machines. The department is debuting their new Software Design and Advanced Computing Laboratory with 64-bit high performance computers and digital circuit design stations.
The Chemistry department is providing the general public an opportunity to experience "Chemistry Magic" and meet students in the Chemistry Club. Visitors can browse student projects, and experience hands-on learning in new innovative laboratories.
The Physics and Astronomy department is showing off their newly designed undergraduate laboratories. Visitors can learn how to operate remote telescopes from our new astronomical Imaging Laboratory and receive free NASA souvenirs.
Visitors perusing the Biology Department are able to experience Diversity of Life at the Organismal Biology Lab and Museum, as well as see animal cells grow outside the animal at the Microbiology and Tissue Culture Lab. Visitors can discover the secrets hidden in genes by seeing how we read what is written on our genes. Experience the DNA Sequencing Laboratory and Human Anatomy and Physiology Laboratory where professors will help prepare the next generation of nurses and health care professionals.
In the Math department visitors can explore the Math Study Laboratory, a new collaboration/work room for students. Visitors may peak into the state-of-the-art Math Teaching Laboratory that is designed for teaching technology-intensive mathematics courses. Professor Jean Bee Chan will be presenting a lecture entitled "Is there a magic hexagon?" in Darwin 109 from 2:30-3 p.m.
For more information, please contact Jean Wasp, Media Relations Coordinator at (707) 664-2158, or at jean.wasp@sonoma.edu. Visit the University Affairs Web site at http://www.sonoma.edu/pubs/darwinhall/
SOLUTIONS TO FIGHT GLOBAL WARMING AND WHAT PHYSICISTS CAN DO - Jasmina Vujic, the chair of the nuclear engineering department at the University of California, Berkeley, discusses one possible response to global warming: switch to nuclear power. "What Physicists Do" lecture series. 4 p.m., Monday, Sept. 25, Darwin 103. (707) 664-2119.
SEVEN STEPS TO INTUITIVE EATING AND NATURAL WEIGHT LOSS - Barbara Birsinger presents a practical guide to knowing what, when and how much to eat for individual needs, and to decoding the symbolic meanings in eating, food cravings, and body language. Women and Gender Studies lecture series. 4 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 26, Darwin 29. (707) 664-2306.
AUTISM LECTURE SERIES - Sarah W. Field MA, discusses sensory processing differences in children with autism spectrum disorders and explain sensory integration theory and strategies; plus define the role of the occupational therapist. Collaborative Autism Support and Training lecture series. 10-11:30 a.m., Tuesday, Sept. 26, Student Union multi-purpose room. (707) 664-2411.
U. S. MEDDLING IN AFRICA - Presented by Mutombo M'Panya, SSU Professor of Liberal Studies. War and Peace lecture series. 4 p.m., Tuesday, Sept, 26, Warren Auditorium, (707) 664-2146.
MATHEMATICAL MYSTERIES OF SODUKU - Rick Luttman, discusses the origins of Sudoku, techniques of solution for both people and computers, how to create puzzles, and some interesting quantitative questions such as how many puzzles are there, how many completed grids are there, and what is the minimum number of clues that will determine a unique solution. Math Colloquium. 4-5 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 27, Darwin 103, (707) 664-3324.
SPATIAL AND TEMPORAL VARIATION IN THE FORAGING BEHAVIOUR OF CALIFORNIA SEA LIONS - Dr. Carey Kuhn from the department of ecology and evolutionary biology at UC Santa Cruz: will discuss spatial and temporal variation in the foraging behavior of female California sea lions. Biology Colloquium. Noon-1 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 28. Darwin 103. (707) 664-2189.
ICE: INFORMATION, COMMUNICATION AND ENTERTAINMENT - Jeremy Lowrey of Calix Networks discusses new advancements in the telecommunications industry. Learn about the transformations of ATM to IP networks that will deliver all services to subscribers. Computer Science Colloquium. Noon, Thursday, Sept. 28, Darwin 102. (707) 664-2667.
CITIZENS OF THE WORLD: ON COMMON GROUND? - Robert Rosenthal, managing editor of the San Francisco Chronicle, discusses "Near Death Experiences & Time Machines: A Journalist's Tales." 4-5:30 p.m. Afternoon panel discussion on Africa with Cathy Kroll, Professor of English; Myrna Goodman, Chair of Sociology: and Mutombo M'Panya, Professor of Liberal Studies. Noon-1:30 p.m. Both in Schulz 3001. University Library lecture series. Karen Brodsky, (707) 664-4240.
PUBLIC VIEWING NIGHTS - Come explore the night sky at the SSU Observatory. Special focus this night will be placed on the Moon, The Hidden Galaxy, and Andromeda's Twin (Caldwell 30). Call ahead, as weather may cancel the viewing. 8-10 p.m., Friday, Sept. 29, SSU Observatory, (707) 664-2267.
DARWIN HALL RE-OPENING CEREMONY - The School of Science and Technology celebrates the 18-month renovation of Charles Darwin Hall with a ribbon cutting and self-guided tours by the departments of Geology, Biology, Computer Science, Physics and Astronomy, Chemistry, and Mathematics. 1-6 p.m., Friday, Sept. 29. Darwin Lobby. (707) 664-2057.
IN THE GALLERIES
ART FACULTY EXHIBITION - Work by the faculty of the SSU Art Department. Gallery hours: Tuesday-Friday 11 a.m.-4 p.m.; weekends, noon to 4 p.m. University Art Gallery, (707) 664-2295.
"THE GRASS FAMILY" - Digital prints of 164 panels of public arts works by Wopo Holup. Gallery hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday-Friday, noon-5 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays, University Library Art Gallery, (707) 664-4240.
The anniversary of Hurricane Katrina and its devastating aftermath serve as a reminder that human populations are at the mercy of an often unpredictable earth. But do these disasters compel us to prepare for the certainty of earthquakes, floods and mudslides in our own region?
A weekend course, The Psychology of Disaster, taught by Matt Davis, Ph.D., at Sonoma State University addresses the psychological issues surrounding this topic. Davis, who witnessed the aftermath of Katrina in New Orleans, has spent years researching, both in the U.S. and around the Pacific Rim, the human psychological response to disasters.
Davis is currently engaged in research studies concerning the public's perceptions of risk for tsunami hazards in northern California and for volcano hazards in the vicinity of Mt. Vesuvius in Italy. His course will focus on how people perceive their risk and whether or not they prepare for potential disasters, specifically for earthquakes here in California.
Discussion includes how people act during and in the aftermath of a disaster, such as anti-social behavior, altruism and post-traumatic stress, providing participants with a better understanding of the unique social problems posed by natural hazards.
The course, offered for academic credit, is scheduled on Saturday, Sept. 23 and Oct. 21, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Stevenson 3028 at a cost of $175.
For more information contact Carol Tremmel at (707) 664-2611. For registration information call SSU School of Extended Education at 707-664-2394 or visit www.sonoma.edu/exed for course description and online registration.
An education professor and a pioneer in thin-film technologies have been named Distinguished Alumni for 2006 by the Sonoma State University Alumni Association.
The 2006 Distinguished Alumni Day and Awards Ceremony is set for Thursday, Oct. 12 and will recognize:
MICHAEL FULTON and his pioneering work and success in developing optical thin-film technologies has become the foundation for new and innovative products. His work has significantly impacted the high technology community setting the foundation for his current effort to develop renewable sources of energy. While attending SSU during the day, Fulton worked full-time in the evenings as a coating technician at Optical Coating Laboratory, Inc. After completing a BS in Chemistry and the MA in English, Fulton became a Process Engineer with OCLI. In this capacity, he led the team that brought the world's first end-Hall ion source into production. Now, Ion-Assisted Deposition technology is ubiquitous in the thin-film coating industry.
JOHN KORNFELD has been a teacher and prominent educator for more than thirty years, including eleven years in the Monte Rio School District where he taught grades fifth through eighth and during the past eleven years as a member of the faculty of the SSU School of Education. A gifted teacher who is universally admired by his students and colleagues, Dr. Kornfeld has introduced innovative curriculum approaches that integrate literacy and language arts instruction with social studies, science, and the arts.
Visit the Alumni Association Distinguished Alumni Web site at http://www.ssualumni.org for details about this year's honorees.
Highlights of the 2006 Distinguished Alumni Day include a luncheon with President Ruben Arminana, a dedication to these alumni at SSU's Alumni Grove and Brick Path, and visits to classrooms and campus centers. The day culminates with the Distinguished Alumni awards dinner.
The awards dinner includes a 5:30 p.m. reception and a 6:30 p.m. dinner at the Doubletree Hotel in Rohnert Park. The cost for the event is $50 for Alumni Association members, SSU faculty and staff and $55 for non-members.
Those who wish to attend should RSVP by calling (707) 664-2426. For further information, contact SSU Alumni Director Kate McClintock, (707) 664-2693.
Dr. James Kovach, Director of the Buck Institute for Age Research in Marin, explores the new landscape of age research at a lecture called "The Buck Stops Here" at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, September 21 in the Cerent Engineering Science Complex, Salazar Hall Room 2009A. A reception will be held from 4 to 4:30 p.m. and a Q&A will follow from 5:15 to 5:30 p.m.
His presentation covers how research is being conducted at the Buck Institute today that will lead to increased health spans in the population. The presentation will also lay out the role the Buck Institute seeks to play in the North Bay business community to create and expand key local relationships with universities and businesses.
It is the first lecture in the Engineering Science Lecture Series and is being presented by the SSU Department of Engineering Science. It is designed to benefit high tech and biotech industries and related businesses, and the community, in the North Bay.
The lecture series will cover a broad range of topics with a focus on recent developments and trends, and will provide a platform for interaction and an exchange of ideas among the members of the audience.
Attendance is open to educators, engineers and scientists from related industries, business people, and members of the community at large. It will meet the third Thursday of the month beginning with this first lecture.
For more information, contact the ES Department at (707) 664-2030.
SSU history professor Michelle Jolly is directing the Sonoma County Women's Oral History Project to record and archive the stories of women and men involved in the contemporary women's movement in Sonoma County.
The stories collected will be shared with a variety of audiences in and beyond Sonoma County.
Sonoma County is well known as the place where National Women's History Month and the National Women's History Project had their origins. Sonoma County also has been home to a wide range of woman-centered and feminist organizations since the 1960s.
Jolly says "although histories of the contemporary women's movement in the United States tend to focus on the national story, the story of activists in the women's movement in Sonoma County reminds us that while the movement may have had a national impact, it was the grassroots activists in towns and counties across the country who initiated the ideas and the programs that fueled national trends."
During the 2006-2007 academic year, students from Sonoma State University will interview women for this project and help create a presentation for an event that will be part of the Faculty Arts and Lecture Series at in September 2007.
For women in Sonoma County, as elsewhere, the personal was truly political, says Jolly. "Women in classrooms, kitchens, and county offices shared their concerns and their ideas with one another and began to create woman-centered and women's history-centered organizations."
These included the National Women's History Project, Women's History Week, the Sitting Room, the Women's Studies program at Sonoma State University, Women's Voices, Clairelight Bookstore, Las Mujeres Unidas, and the Displaced Homemakers Project, among others.
Although a few sporadic attempts have been made over the years to collect the stories of the women who were involved in the women's movement in Sonoma County, no systematic effort has been made to collect, analyze, and tell their stories.
"Now, many of the activists who were deeply involved in the creation of Sonoma County's many woman-centered organizations are aging, moving away, and dying. Because many of these women are in their sixties and seventies, the time to hear them tell their stories is now," Jolly says.
The Sonoma County Women's History Project is the brainchild of Mary Ruthsdotter, co-founder and former Projects Director of the National Women's History Project. It is funded by grants from the California Council for the Humanities' California Story Fund and by the School of Social Sciences at SSU.
To participate, contact Professor Michelle Jolly at (707) 664-2461.
MAKING THE WORLD SAFER: NUCLEAR TERRORISM AND WHAT PHYSICISTS CAN DO - Dr. Simon Labov of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory will discuss the challenges of detecting nuclear threats. Part of the "What Physicists Do" lecture series. 4 p.m., Monday, Sept. 11, Darwin 103, (707) 664-2119.
EARLY INTERVENTION TEACHING STRATEGIES - Evidence and practice-based strategies for autism including systematic teaching, TEACCH, PECS; the use of toys and other motivators. Part of the Collaborative Autism Training & Support Program. 10 a.m., Tuesday, Sept. 12, SSU Student Multipurpose Room. (707) 664-2402.
THE EXPERIENCE OF WAR - Presented by John Wingard, Professor of Anthropology. Part of the War and Peace lecture series. 4 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 12, Warren Auditorium. (707) 664-2146.
JACK LONDON AND THE MAKING OF THE 21ST CENTURY OPERA - Lecture series leading up to premiere of the opera, "Every Man Jack," which will includes presentations by local historians and scholars regarding London's life, literature and musical interests. 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 13, Cooperage. (707) 664-2691.
QUAIL RIDGE WIRELESS MESH NETWORK- Multi-hop Wireless Mesh Networks are becoming a popular alternative to extending the typical Wireless Local Area Networks used today. This talk discusses efforts to create a wide area deployment of wireless mesh network at the Quail Ridge Wildlife Natural Reserve and also discusses research on multi-channel, multi-radio mesh networks, heterogeneous meshes, and all the experiences learnt from the real-world deployment of the Quail Ridge Wireless Mesh Network. Part of the Computer Science Colloquium. Noon, Thursday, Sept. 14, Darwin Hall 102.
IN THE GALLERIES
ART FACULTY EXHIBITION - Work by the faculty of the Art Department. Tuesday-Friday 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., weekends noon to 4 p.m., University Art Gallery, (707) 664-2295.
THE GRASS FAMILY - Work by artist Wopo Holup. 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday - Friday, Noon - 5 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays, Library Art Gallery, (707) 664-4240.
CLIMATE CHANGE - Dr. Philip Duffy of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and the University of California, Merced gives an overview of scientific evidence for global warming and for a human role in this process and will discuss possible consequences for society. "What Physicists Do" lecture series. 4 p.m., Monday, Sept. 18, Darwin 103. (707) 664-2119.
THE CURRENT AND FUTURE IMPACT OF AUTISM - Showing of "Autism Dads" video; the impact of autism on families, education and services; the need for political self-advocacy; programs and research of the M.I.N.D. Institute. Collaborative Autism Training and Support Program. 10 a.m., Tuesday, Sept. 19, Student Union Multipurpose Room, (707) 664-2402.
CONSTITUTION DAY 2006 - SSU STYLE: Patriotism and Civic Engagement: Roles in a Democratic Society - A panel of scholars discuss what it means to be civically engaged in these times. Panelists include Perry Marker, Moderator; Catherine Nelson, Political Science; Nathan Rank, Biology; Francisco Vazquez, Hutchins and TK Clarke, Business Administration. Noon, Sept. 19, Schulz 3001. For more information and for interesting Constitution-related links visit http://library.sonoma.edu/constitution/. Karen Brodsky, (707) 664-4240.
WOMEN AND HEART HEALTH - Dr. Richard McCarthy, Chief of Neurology, Kaiser Permanente San Rafael and Kaiser Permanente San Francisco, speaks on the topic of women and heart health. McCarthy is on the Board of Directors for the American Heart Association where he works to increase stroke awareness and prevention. Women's Health Lecture Series. 4-5:50 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 19, Darwin 29. (707) 664-2306.
INTELLIGENCE GATHERING IN A DEMOCRACY - Presented by Andy Merrifield, SSU Professor of Political Science. War and Peace lecture series. 4 p.m., Tuesday, Sept, 19, Warren Auditorium, (707) 664-2146.
ART IN CONVERSATION - Presented as a follow-up to the University Library Gallery exhibit by artist Wopo Holup with an emphasis on public art. 6 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 19, University Commons, (707) 664-4240.
GEOMETER'S SKETCHPAD IS YOUR FRIEND - Sam Brannen discusses the power and beauty of the easy-to-use computer program "Geometer's Sketchpad," through a series of demonstrations, including the constructions of fractals and tessellations. Math Colloquium. http://www.sonoma.edu/math/. 4-5 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 20, Darwin 103. (707) 664-2368.
JACK LONDON AND THE MAKING OF THE 21ST CENTURY AMERICAN OPERA - Lecture series leading up to premiere of the opera, "Every Man Jack," which includes presentations by local historians and scholars regarding London's life, literature and musical interests. 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 20, Cooperage. (707) 664-2691.
POLLEN LIMITATION IN A NATIVE GRASS - Lecture by Dr. Heather Davis, Department of Biology. Biology Colloquium. Noon-1 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 21. Darwin 103. (707) 664-2189.
A STORY FROM THE BASEMENT - Presented by Sherril Jaffe, followed by a reading from Scott Miller: "Chamber of Horrors: Poems and Talk about Monsters." Arts and Humanities Forum. Noon, Thursday, Sept. 21, Schulz 3001, (707) 664-2146.
MICHAEL ARCEGA - Conceptual artist Michael Arcega likens the titles of his works to punch lines. Born in Manila, he is as concerned with Filipino history, imperialism and global socio-political issues as he is with puns. His work "El Conquistadork," a 10-foot high Spanish galleon and "Conquistadorks I & II", elaborate suits of armor are both crafted from manila folders. Visiting Artists Lecture Series. Noon-1 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 21, Art 108. (707) 664-2364.
AN INTRODUCTION TO BIOINFORMATICS - Computational techniques and algorithms have made major advances in molecular biology, while biology offers challenging computational problems and models that can become the basis for next generation computers. This talk presents some basic computational problems in this field and discuss various approaches that computer scientists have developed to solve them. Computer Science Colloquium. Noon, Thursday, Sept. 21, Darwin 102. (707) 664-2667.
THE BUCK STARTS HERE - Dr. Jim Kovach, Director, The Buck Institute for Age Research, describes the new landscape of age research leading towards an increased health span and also touches on how the Buck Institute seeks to implement this into North Bay society. Reception 4 p.m.; lecture 4:30 p.m.; Q&A 5 p.m. Engineering Science Lecture Series. Thursday, Sept. 21, Cerent Engineering Science Complex, Salazar 2009A, (707) 664-2030.
IN THE GALLERIES
ART FACULTY EXHIBITION - Work by the faculty of the SSU Art Department. Gallery hours: Tuesday-Friday 11 a.m.-4 p.m.; weekends, noon to 4 p.m., University Art Gallery, (707) 664-2295.
"THE GRASS FAMILY" - Digital prints of 164 panels of public arts works by Wopo Holup. Gallery hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday-Friday, noon-5 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays, University Library Art Gallery, (707) 664-4240.
Holocaust survivors from Sonoma County will be honored for the first time in a special program to be held from 3 to 5 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 17 at Congregation Ner Shalom in Cotati.
The event is sponsored by Sonoma State University's Center for the Study of the Holocaust and Genocide and the Alliance for the Study of the Holocaust, a long-standing University-community partnership.
Founding members of the Alliance and others who have made a significant contribution to Holocaust and genocide education will also be honored.
"The focus of the Sept. 17 event is to honor those in the community who survived Nazi tyranny, including those who were in the camps, were hidden during the war, were on the Kindertransport, or were able to leave prior to 1939," says Barbara Lesch McCaffry, President of the Alliance. "Other honorees made significant contributions to Holocaust education at Sonoma State over the past 23 years."
"Many of the Holocaust survivors who share their stories are now in their 80's and 90's," said Elaine Leeder, Dean of Sonoma State's School of Social Sciences. "We want to honor them now. In addition, it is through studying the Holocaust that we actively keep the memory of the victims alive."
The Alliance was formed in 1982 on behalf of the victims and survivors of the Holocaust and the need to tell their stories and learn from their experiences. The Center, part of SSU's School of Social Sciences, offers a lecture series on the Holocaust and genocide, which is the oldest program of its kind in the Western States
A photographic exhibit of local survivors by Ilka Hartmann will also be on display. Music will be provided by the Jubilee Klezmer Ensemble. Light refreshments, desserts, wine and non-alcoholic beverages will be served.
A majority of the more than 30 survivors currently living in Sonoma County are planning to attend. In addition to speaking in the Holocaust Lecture Series, some survivors have spent many hours visiting middle and high school classrooms, speaking with children about their experiences.
"Studying the Holocaust provides students with a framework for looking at genocide which is still happening today," said Myrna Goodman, Director of the Center. "It helps us understand the processes that contribute to other genocides and serves as a pre-warning signal for incipient genocide."
Goodman noted: "A powerful aspect of the lecture series has been the impact of the personal eyewitness accounts of the Holocaust survivors, and more recently the survivors of the Rwandan, Cambodian and Bosnian genocides. The series has inspired student activism in the service of genocide awareness."
The primary beneficiary of the Alliance's fund raising efforts is Sonoma State University's Holocaust Lecture Series which will begin its 24th season in January 2007 and run through May.
The lectures from the 2004-2006 series can be viewed at http://www.streaming.sonoma.edu.
Tickets for the event are $36 and $18 for children under 12 and low-income guests. For more information, contact Barbara Lesch McCaffry at (707) 664-2273 or visit http://www.sonoma.edu/holocaust/ash/events.htm.
The event is also co-sponsored by SSU's School of Social Sciences, SSU's Development Office, and the Jewish Community Center of Sonoma County.
Climate change, potential new power sources, plug-in hybrid cars, nuclear terrorism, and planets orbiting our sun and others will be among the topics explored by visiting speakers in the fall "What Physicists Do" public lecture series at Sonoma State University.
Lectures will be on Mondays at 4 p.m. from Sept. 11 through Nov. 27 in SSU's newly-remodeled Darwin 103. Coffee, cookies, and conversation are available beginning at 3:30 p.m.
The series will begin Sept. 11 with Simon Labov of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory speaking on an appropriate topic for the fifth anniversary of the attack on the United States: "Making the World Safer: Nuclear Terrorism and What Physicists Can Do."
The following Monday Philip Duffy will speak on climate change, including discussing both the evidence for it and societal impacts. The director of the Institute for Research on Climate Change and Its Societal Impacts at the Livermore Lab, Duffy is also affiliated with the University of California, Merced.
One possible response to global warming is to switch to nuclear power. This option will be explored on Sept. 25 by Jasmina Vujic, the chair of the nuclear engineering department at the University of California, Berkeley.
Another response, which could use nuclear or other sources to provide the energy, is to make use of hydrogen in vehicles, buildings, and power plans. This will be the topic of University of California, Davis professor Joan Ogden on Oct. 30.
Her colleague in mechanical engineering at UCD, Andrew Frank, will speak on plug-in hybrid cars on Oct. 9. Frank is considered the leading authority on this topic.
"The Limits of Magnetic Recording" will be discussed on Oct. 2, when Mason Williams presents a Magnetics Society Distinguished Lecture. Williams is retired after an illustrious career at IBM and Hitachi.
Christine Orme of the Lawrence Livermore Lab will speak on "Biomineralization-Nature's Way of Crystallizing" on Oct. 16.
There will be two talks on planets: Debra Fischer of San Francisco State University, a member of the team that has discovered more than half the known planets orbiting other suns, will describe the search for earthlike planets on Oct. 23.
Kevin Baines of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory will make the trip from Pasadena to speak on new views of Venus and Saturn on Nov. 6.
Renowned scientists who have recently written popular books on the universe will give two talks in November. Joel Primack, a cosmologist at the University of California, Santa Cruz, and Nancy Abrams are the authors of "The View from the Center of the Universe." They will speak on Nov. 13.
Stanford University's Leonard Susskind, sometimes called the father of string theory, will speak on his book, "The Cosmic Landscape: String Theory and the Illusion of Intelligent Design," on Nov. 27.
Berkeley physics professor Michael Crommie will describe exploring and manipulating nanostructures at the single-molecule level on Nov. 20.
For a free poster describing all twelve lectures, visit http://www.phys-astro.sonoma.edu/wpd/ or send e-mail to phys.astro@sonoma.edu or phone (707) 664-2119.
