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Intellect

What's New at BYU for November 2007

Thursday, Nov. 1

Her Excellency Rajmah Hussain, Malaysian ambassador to the United States, will speak on “Malaysia and Islam Hadhari” at a David M. Kennedy Center Ambassadorial Insights Lecture at 11 a.m. in 238 Herald R. Clark Building. For more information on David M. Kennedy Center events, see the calendar online at kennedy.byu.edu.

The First Lady of Guatemala, Wendy Widmann de Berger, will be visiting BYU for a lecture at 2 p.m. in the Wilkinson Student Center Varsity Theater. Her address, which will be given in Spanish, will be hosted by the College of Humanities, the Instituto de Estudios Vallejianos and the Spanish and Portuguese Department. For more information, contact Mara Garcia at (801) 422-3106.

Students who are interested in pursuing a Master of Business Administration degree at BYU or any other institution are invited to attend the MBA Open House from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. in 251 N. Eldon Tanner Building. Presenters will discuss the application process, GMAT prep, MBA careers and what to look for when choosing a business school. Dress is business casual. Please contact the MBA office at mba@byu.edu for more information and to RSVP.

Friday, Nov. 2

Mark Austin, regional coordinator for the United States Agency for International Development, will present “Hindsight is 20/20: Planning for the Future by Looking at the Past” at an International Field Studies Lecture at noon in 238 Herald R. Clark Building. For more information on David M. Kennedy Center events, see the calendar online at kennedy.byu.edu.

Ann Neville, senior adviser for biological resources and sustainable development for the Kennecott Utah Copper Corporation, will present her lecture, “Responsible Land Use Stewardship Including Mining, Biodiversity and Future Land Uses,” from 1 to 1:50 p.m. in 274 Thomas L. Martin Building. For more information, contact the Plant and Wildlife Sciences Department at (801) 422-2760.

Reza Aslan, author of “No god but God: The Origins, Evolution and Future of Islam,” the David M. Kennedy Center for International Studies Fall 2007 Book of the Semester, will present a lecture titled “Revolution, Reformation and Regime Change: Contemporary Iran” at 3 p.m. in the Joseph Smith Building Auditorium. Following the lecture, there will be a question-and-answer session at the David M. Kennedy Center where students can meet the author, discuss the lecture and have books signed. For more information on David M. Kennedy Center events, see the calendar online at kennedy.byu.edu.

The Museum of Peoples and Cultures will host a free event from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. showing how “Dia De Los Muertos (Day of the Dead)” is observed in other countries. Guests can also decorate sugar skulls for $1. The museum is located at 700 N 100 East in Provo. For more information, call (801) 422-0020 or visit mpc.byu.edu.

Saturday, Nov. 3

The Monte L. Bean Life Science Museum invites children ages 5 through 12 to participate in “Animals of Madagascar” as part of its Saturday Safari program from 9:30 a.m. to noon. The cost is $12 for the first child and $10 for each additional child in the same family. For more information and a complete schedule of events, call (801) 422-5051 or visit mlbean.byu.edu.

Monday, Nov. 5

Willard Tenney Smith of the American Embassy in Caracas, Venezuela, will present a Foreign Service Lecture as part of the Hometown Diplomat Program at 2 p.m. in 238 Herald R. Clark Building. His topic will be “Narcotics Trafficking and the Increasingly Important Role Venezuela Plays as a Transit Country.” For more information on David M. Kennedy Center events, see the calendar online at kennedy.byu.edu.

Tuesday, Nov. 6

A university forum featuring “Mayflower” author Nathaniel Philbrick will be held at 11:05 a.m. in the Marriott Center. BYU Television, KBYU TV, KBYU FM and byubroadcasting.org will air the forum live. For rebroadcast information, visit byubroadcasting.org.

The BYU Department of Mathematics will present Chris Grant, professor of mathematics, with the department’s third annual Distinguished Teaching Award at 4 p.m. in 1170 James E. Talmage Building. A reception will be hosted in the hallway next to the lecture room at 3:30 p.m. Following the award presentation, Grant will deliver a lecture on “Ernst Zermelo and the Ranking of Tournaments.” For more information, contact the Mathematics Department at (801) 422-2061.

Students who want to enhance their time at BYU are invited to BYUSA’s “Expand Your Experience” at 4 p.m. in 3400 Wilkinson Student Center. In addition to giving back to BYU, students can also gain leadership skills, enjoy activities and opportunities, meet great people and get a free BYUSA shirt. For more information, call (801) 422-3901.

Women interested in pursuing a Master of Business Administration degree at BYU or any other institution are invited to attend an information session and dinner from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. in the Gordon B. Hinckley Alumni and Visitors Center. The event is geared toward juniors, seniors and graduates. There is no charge for the dinner and dress is business professional or Sunday best. Please RSVP to mba@byu.edu and indicate if you prefer a meat or vegetarian plate.

Wednesday, Nov. 7

His Excellency Mahmud Ali Durrani, Pakistani ambassador to the United States, will speak on “Pakistan-U.S. Relations” at a Global Awareness Lecture at noon in 238 Herald R. Clark Building. For more information on David M. Kennedy Center events, see the calendar online at kennedy.byu.edu.

Beginning Nov. 7, visitors to the Monte L. Bean Life Science Museum can get an up-close look at the third-largest land-dwelling species on earth with the museum’s latest acquisition, a southern white rhino. In addition to displaying the rare specimen, Wesley ‘Skip’ Skidmore, taxidermist and vertebrates collection manager, will undertake the taxidermy in the museum’s center atrium for the public to see.

Some of the best acoustic talent on campus will perform at the Acoustic Explosion in the Wilkinson Student Center Traditions Lounge at 7 p.m.  For more information, contact the Student Activities Board at (801) 422-3122 or visit stab.byu.edu.

Thursday, Nov. 8

His Excellency Dominique Struye de Swielande, Belgian ambassador to the United States, will speak on relations between the two countries at an Ambassadorial Insights Lecture on Thursday, Nov. 8, at 11 a.m. in 238 Herald R. Clark Building. For more information on David M. Kennedy Center events, see the calendar online at kennedy.byu.edu.

BYU’s International Study Program will hold an International Field Studies Open House from 2 to 5 p.m. in 238 Herald R. Clark Building. International Field Studies is a semester-abroad experience for students of all majors who are interested in self-directed research in a cross-cultural setting. At the open house, students who have completed a field study will be available to explain the specifics of each program and answer questions. For more information, call (801) 422-6192.

Debra Sowell, associate professor of humanities, classics and comparative literature, will present a tour of her Museum of Art exhibit, “Splendor and Spectacle: Images of Dance from Court Ballet to Broadway,” at a Women’s Studies Colloquium at noon on the main floor of the Museum of Art. Space is limited, so please email wri@byu.edu or call (801) 422-4609 to RSVP for this event. 

Thursday and Friday, Nov. 8-9

The tenth annual Economic Self-Reliance Conference, "Building Economically Self-Reliant Families," will focus on helping families at home and throughout the world combat poverty by helping them become self-reliant. The conference provides a great opportunity to listen, discuss and network with other practitioners, researchers and sponsors who work to help families enjoy a better quality of life. For more information or to register, visit conferences.byu.edu/esr or call (801) 422-4853.

The BYU Social Work Alumni Conference will celebrate the 25th anniversary of its master’s program with its alumni. Various events are scheduled over the two-day conference, including a free tailgate party, reserved tickets to the BYU vs. TCU football game, lectures, meals, entertainment and tours. For more information and to register for the conference, call (801) 422- 0624.

Thursday through Saturday, Nov. 8-10

The Campus Life Events Management Team will screen “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix” at 6:30 p.m. and 9:20 p.m. in the Wilkinson Student Center Varsity Theater. Tickets are $1 per person and are available at the WSC Information Desk beginning Monday, Nov. 5, until show time.

Friday, Nov. 9

Stacey Shaw of the Social Work Department will speak on "Personal Growth Through International Experiences" at an International Field Studies Lecture at noon in 238 Herald R. Clark Building. For more information on David M. Kennedy Center events, see the calendar online at kennedy.byu.edu.

Pat Tranel of the Crop Sciences Department at the University of Illinois will present “Pigweeds: Models to Study Weed Evolution” from 1 to 1:50 p.m. in 274 Thomas L. Martin Building. For more information, contact the Plant and Wildlife Sciences Department at (801) 422-2760.

Saturday, Nov. 10

The Monte L. Bean Life Science Museum invites children ages 5 through 12 to participate in a “Mongolia Safari” as part of its Saturday Safari program from 9:30 a.m. to noon. The cost is $12 for the first child and $10 for each additional child in the same family. For more information and a complete schedule of events, call (801) 422-5051 or visit mlbean.byu.edu.

Monday, Nov. 12 through Saturday, Nov. 24

BYU students, alumni and friends will attempt to beat the University of Utah during the annual BYU vs. U of U food drive. All proceeds benefit local Community Action Services and Food Banks. The BYU Bookstore and local merchants will also sell "Y" cards for $1. Every cent of the money raised will benefit the United Way food agencies. For more information, visit saa.byu.edu.

Tuesday, Nov. 13

A university devotional will be held at 11:05 a.m. in the Marriott Center. The speaker has yet to be announced. BYU Television, KBYU TV, KBYU FM and byubroadcasting.org will air the forum live. For rebroadcast information, visit byubroadcasting.org.

Aren M. Maeir, chairman of the Department of Archaeology and Land of Israel Studies at Bar Ilan University in Tel Aviv, Israel, will present "The New Biblical Archaeology — The Future of the Past" at an Ancient Near Eastern Studies Lecture at 4 p.m. in the Harold B. Lee Library Auditorium. For more information on David M. Kennedy Center events, see the calendar online at kennedy.byu.edu.

Tuesday through Friday, Nov. 13-16

Students, faculty and community members are invited to sample the world’s cultures during the annual World Fest celebration of international cultures and peoples. The week’s events will include daily performances, more than 40 cultural booths, a three-course banquet, an international fashion show and the popular Food Fest feast. BYU International Services will host the event to coincide with America’s International Education Week. For more information and a complete schedule of events, please call International Services at (801) 422-2695 or visit internationalservices.byu.edu.

Wednesday, Nov. 14

The David M. Kennedy Center for International Studies will screen the film "¿Puedo Hablar? May I Speak?" at 3 p.m. in 238 Herald R. Clark Building. Following the film, a question-and-answer session will be held with Chris Moore, the film’s co-director and producer. For more information on David M. Kennedy Center events, see the calendar online at kennedy.byu.edu.

Eric Eliason will give a lecture about Elder J. Golden Kimball at 7 p.m. in the Harold B. Lee Library Auditorium.  Eliason recently completed a book about Kimball titled “The J. Golden Kimball Stories.” For more information, call (801) 422-6687.

Come cheer for performers as they compete for the chance to be a BYU Idol finalist at 7 p.m. in the Wilkinson Student Center Traditions Lounge.  The audience decides who goes on to perform in the finals. For more information, call the Student Activities Board at (801) 422-3122 or visit stab.byu.edu. 

Thursday, Nov. 15

Michael J. Gerson, Council on Foreign Relations Roger Hertog Senior Fellow and author of “Heroic Conservatism,” will present a lecture on “Great Foreign Policy Challenges” at 10 a.m. in 257 Herald R. Clark Building. The lecture is part of the Academic Conference Call Series.

David Plane from the University of Arizona will speak at a Chauncy Harris Lecture at 11 a.m. in 250 Spencer W. Kimball Tower as part of the Geography Department’s Geography Awareness Week, Nov. 12-16.

History professor Mark Choate will present “Berlin Airlift and the Projections of American Military Power” at a House of Learning Lecture at 2 p.m. in the Harold B. Lee Library Auditorium on the first level.

Bill Newmark, curator and conservation biologist at the Utah Museum of Natural History, will present the Fall Semester John Tanner Lecture on “Designing Nature Reserves: Lessons from western North America and East Africa.” There will be a reception at 6:30 p.m. and the lecture will begin at 7 p.m. in the Tanner Auditorium, located on the first floor of the Monte L. Bean Life Science Museum.

The School of Family Life and the College of Family, Home and Social Sciences will host the 43rd annual Virginia Cutler Lecture at 7 p.m. in 250 Spencer W. Kimball Tower.  James M. Harper, professor of marriage and family therapy, will present “Daily Lives of Families: What difference Does It Make?” For more information, contact LaRita Johnson of the School of Family Life at (801) 422-9094.

Thursday and Friday, Nov. 15-16

Sir J. Fraser Stoddart of Northwestern University will present two lectures during the first annual Izatt-Christensen Lecture Series hosted by the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. The topic of Stoddart’s first lecture will be “Mingling of Art with Science” and will be held Thursday at 7 p.m. in 2254 Harman Building. His second lecture, “Chemistry and Nanotechnology in Tomorrow’s World,” will be held Friday at 4 p.m. in W170 Ezra Taft Benson Building. Refreshments will be offered at receptions beginning 30 minutes before each lecture. Admission to these lectures is free and the public is invited to attend. Students are especially welcome. For more information, call (801) 422-3667.

Friday, Nov. 16

Samuel St. Clair will present a lecture titled “Aspen in its Western Range: Tiptoeing Through the Mine Field” from 1 to 1:50 p.m. in 274 Thomas L. Martin Building. For more information, contact the Plant and Wildlife Sciences Department at (801) 422-2760.

Friday and Saturday, Nov. 16-17

BYU’s interactive dinner theatre “The Red Carpet” will host a celebrity murder mystery dinner each night at 6 and 7:30 p.m. Tickets go on sale Monday, Nov. 5, at the Wilkinson Student Center Information Desk. For more information and to get to know the characters before the event, visit eventsmanagement.byu.edu.

BYU’s sketch comedy group Divine Comedy will present shows each night at 7 and 9 p.m. Tickets can be purchased for $5 starting the week of the show at the Wilkinson Student Center Information Desk or by calling (801) 422-4313.

Saturday, Nov. 17

The Monte L. Bean Life Science Museum invites children ages 5 through 12 to participate in “Majestic India” as part of its Saturday Safari program from 9:30 a.m. to noon. The cost is $12 for the first child and $10 for each additional child in the same family. For adults and children ages 12 and older, Duke Rogers will conduct a nature “experienceship” on mammals. For more information and a complete schedule of events, call (801) 422-5051 or visit mlbean.byu.edu.

Thursday and Friday, Nov. 22-23

The university will be closed for the Thanksgiving holiday.

Monday through Friday, Nov. 26-Dec. 7

The Center for Service and Learning will host a blood drive each day, all day, in the Wilkinson Student Center Garden Court. For more information, call (801) 422-8686.

Tuesday, Nov. 27

A university devotional featuring Robert Todd of BYU’s Mechanical Engineering Department will be held at 11:05 a.m. in the Marriott Center. BYU Television, KBYU TV, KBYU FM and byubroadcasting.org will air the forum live. For rebroadcast information, visit byubroadcasting.org.

Wednesday, Nov. 28

The last monthly BYU Idol competition before December’s big finale will begin at 7 p.m. in the Wilkinson Student Center Varsity Theater. The audience decides who goes on to the finals. For more information, contact the Student Activities Board at (801) 422-3122 or visit stab.byu.edu.

Thursday, Nov. 29

Carolyn Strege Plocher, recipient of the Women's Research Institute Student Research Grant, will present her research on "Women in the Bible: An In-depth Study on the Hebrew Bible's Treatment of Women" at a Women’s Studies Colloquium at noon in 4186 Joseph F. Smith Building.

Martha Peacock, professor of art history, will present the annual Alice Louise Reynolds Women in Scholarship Lecture at 2 p.m. in the Harold B. Lee Library Auditorium. Admission is free.

Friday, Nov. 30

Bryan G. Hopkins will present “Nutrient Management Technologies to Improve Water Quality” from 1 to 1:50 pm. in 274 Thomas L. Martin Building. For more information, contact the Plant and Wildlife Sciences Department at (801) 422-2760.

The School of Social Work will host a question-and-answer session about applying to its new master’s degree program from noon to 1 p.m. in 2198 Joseph F. Smith Building. The program’s application deadline is Jan. 15, 2008, for fall 2008 admission. For more information, e-mail msw@byu.edu or call (801) 422-5681.

His Excellency Petr Kolar, Czech ambassador to the United States, will speak on relations between the two countries at an Ambassadorial Insights Lecture at 2 p.m. in 238 Herald R. Clark Building. For more information on David M. Kennedy Center events, see the calendar online at kennedy.byu.edu.

All month

Through the generosity of Fred and Sue Morris of Salt Lake City, the world's most complete collection of waterfowl and pheasants is being exhibited as part of the museum's permanent collection. The Don Cox Wildlife Collection is on display in the third floor exhibit gallery. Other exhibits on display include a butterfly exhibit and a shell exhibit, "Ecosystem Dioramas," "Africa: A Diverse Continent" and "Synoptic Collections of Vertebrate Animals.” Discovery readings are held each Wednesday at 11 a.m. Beginning Nov. 7, visitors to the museum can get an up-close look at the third-largest, land-dwelling species on earth with the museum’s latest acquisition, a southern white rhino. Gallery shows for the public are conducted daily on the following schedule: Mondays, Reptiles, 6:30 and 7:30 p.m.; Tuesdays, Adaptations, 7:30 p.m.; Wednesdays, Utah Animals and Plants, 7:30 p.m.; Thursdays, Deer Diversity, 7:30 p.m.; Fridays, Invertebrates, 7:30 p.m.; Saturdays, Reptiles, 1 p.m. The museum, located southeast of the Marriott Center, is open Mondays through Fridays from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, call (801) 422-5051 or visit mlbean.byu.edu.

The Museum of Peoples and Cultures, located at 700 N. 100 East in Provo, presents “Touching the Past: Traditions of Casas Grandes.” This exhibit focuses on the lifestyle and rituals of the Casas Grandes people through their beautiful pottery and figurines. Another exhibit, “Seeking the Divine: Ritual, Prayer and Celebration,” explores rituals and ceremonies that empower people to seek the divine through more than 150 artifacts from countries around the world. The museum offers children’s programs as well as various date nights and cultural events. Teaching kits and tours are available and volunteers are always welcome. Museum hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays. Hours are extended until 7 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays for fall and winter semesters. For more information, call (801) 422-0020 or visit mpc.byu.edu.

The Earth Science Museum is featuring a mounted skeleton of a 120 million year old sauropod dinosaur that the museum will soon name.  This exhibit is only one of many dinosaur and fossil mammal skeletons and skulls on display.  Other unique exhibits include Torvosaurus tanneri, a large carnivorous dinosaur, as well two fully mounted skeletons of a Camptosaurus and an Allosaurus, a giant ground sloth, a mural of the Utah-Colorado region in the Jurassic period and a 150 million-year-old dinosaur egg. Visitors may touch real fossils and peer into the window of the preparation lab to watch museum personnel prepare fossil bones of new, unnamed dinosaurs. Admission is free. The Earth Science Museum is located at 1683 N Canyon Road and is open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.  For more information, call (801) 422-3680.

The Harold B. Lee Library continues to host its English Reading Series each Friday at noon in the HBLL Auditorium. In addition, the library’s current exhibits include the “Dance and Print” exhibit in conjunction with the “Splendor and Spectacle: Images of Dance from Court Ballet to Broadway” exhibit at the Museum of Art and the “Designing BYU” exhibit on BYU’s architecture. For more information, call (801) 422-6687.

The BYU Astronomical Society presents public shows each Friday night at the Royden G. Derrick Planetarium at the Carl F. Eyring Science Center. The cost is $2 per person and the event is open to the public. For more information and to check availability, visit planetarium.byu.edu.

Complimentary tours of the BYU campus are available weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Gordon B. Hinckley Alumni and Visitors Center. For more information, call (801) 422-4678.

Writer: Marissa Ballantyne

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