ForUM takes a break 

There will be no issue of ForUM on Monday, Nov. 21. The next issue will hit mailboxes Monday, Nov. 28.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Lecture series features humanitarian aid expert

Dr. Kevin M. Cahill, a leading expert on tropical medicine who has led humanitarian efforts throughout the world for nearly five decades, will present the next installment of the President's Lecture Series at 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 18, in the University Center Ballroom at UM.

Cahill is known for his outspoken views on the provision of medical services internationally, the U.S. health care crisis and the consequences for the general well-being of the people directly affected by America's various wars. In his lecture, "Romance and Reality in Humanitarian Action," he will speak about his experiences on the front lines of the world's crisis areas. His presentation serves as UM's annual Stan Kimmitt Lecture on Public Service.

Cahill also will deliver a seminar, "The Professionalization of Humanitarianism," from 3:10 to 4:30 p.m. that day in Gallagher Business Building Room 123. The seminar is held in conjunction with UM's Philosophy Forum. Both events are free and open to the public.

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National Endowment for the Arts features UM exhibit

Montana artist, World War II veteran and Bataan Death March survivor Ben Steele recently was profiled on Art Works, the official blog of the National Endowment for the Arts, in honor of Veterans Day.

Steele is the subject of the Montana Museum of Art & Culture exhibition "War Torn: The Art of Ben Steele -- Paintings and Drawings from the Bataan Death March" at UM through Nov. 19. His artwork documents the Japanese invasion of the Philippines, the capture of American and Filipino POWs, and the degradation and cruelty to which prisoners were subjected.

Steele, who celebrates his 94th birthday this month, will return to Missoula on Tuesday, Nov. 15, for a 7 p.m. film and lecture titled "The Tragedy of Bataan" by Jan Thompson, associate professor at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale and past-president of the Descendants Group Auxiliary of the American Defenders of Bataan & Corregidor. The free events will be held in the Masquer Theatre of UM's Performing Arts and Radio/Television Center.

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Celebrate International Education Week Nov. 14-18

UM will hold events Monday through Friday, Nov. 14-18, to celebrate International Education Week. All events are free and open to the public.

The opening ceremony is at noon Monday, Nov. 14, in the University Center Atrium. Speakers include Associate Provost for International Programs Mehrdad Kia, Director of Foreign Student and Scholar Services Effie Koehn and International Student Association President Grecia Pacheco. Cultural performances by Chutzpah and the Rocky Mountain Ballet Theatre will be held before and after the address.

UM's Director of Study Abroad Marja Unkuri-Chaudhry will lead an information session about study abroad opportunities for UM students at 4 p.m. in UC Room 326. A study abroad information table will be available throughout the week from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the UC.

The first day will conclude with a presentation at 7 p.m. in the UC Theater by Barbara Petzen, educational director of the Middle East Policy Council and president of the Middle East Outreach Council. Her lecture is titled "Making Sense: Untangling Americans' Fears and Misconceptions of the Middle East and Islam."

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UM hosts controversial author, China town hall

Chinese novelist Yu Hua, whose recent book "Brothers" was acclaimed in the West but perturbed many of China's leaders, will speak at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 15, in Todd Building Room 204 at UM.

Hailed by many as the "voice of the New China," Yu has gained fame by his insightful -- and most recently, ribald -- depictions of Chinese society and culture. According to Mansfield Center Director Terry Weidner, Yu's acclaim in the West gained momentum with "Brothers." The book, Yu's fifth, views four decades of profound change, including the Cultural Revolution period and China's transformation into capitalist prosperity and greed, through the misadventures of two small-time mobster brothers.

UM also will participate in a unique 50-city event, "CHINA Town Hall: Local Connections, National Reflections," on Wednesday, Nov. 16.

Zbigniew Brzezinski, former national security adviser to President Jimmy Carter, will discuss U.S.-China relations during a live webcast. The event will be held on campus at 5 p.m. in Todd Building Room 210.

Brzezinski will respond to questions from audience members nationwide, including Missoula. He served President Carter during the normalization of relations with the People's Republic of China and the severing of ties with the Republic of China.

The webcast will be followed by an on-site discussion with Ambassador Darryl N. Johnson, an expert on People's Republic of China-Taiwan relations that remain a serious source of contention in U.S.-China ties as the world marks the 100th anniversary of the Republic of China.

Both events are free and open to the public. More information is available on the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Center website.

UM professor receives two prestigious awards

UM Professor Jack Stanford recently received two prestigious awards for his work in the field of river ecology: one recognizing lifetime achievement from the International Society of River Science and the other for exceptional conservation from the Federation of Fly Fishers.

Stanford has spent his entire career working at UM's Flathead Lake Biological Station, where he directed the development of the ecological research program, which has achieved worldwide prominence. He has mentored 44 graduate students and 12 postdoctoral scholars who have contributed to the protection of clean water. 

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Climate change law expert to deliver lecture at UM

Climate change law expert Michael Gerrard will deliver the 2011 Hampton Lecture at 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 18, in Gallagher Business Building Room 106 at UM. The lecture is a collaboration between the UM Department of History and the School of Law.

Gerrard will explore how law, politics and science shape international and national approaches to addressing climate change in his lecture, "Climate Change, Politics and Law." He also will speak about the future of coal in a carbon-constrained world at the UM Natural Resources and Environmental Policy Forum at noon that day in Law Building Room 101.

Gerrard is the Andrew Sabin Professor of Professional Practice at Columbia University Law School and director of the university's Center for Climate Change Law.

MTPR gears up for annual fundraising campaign

Montana Public Radio recently launched its annual "Go Public" campaign with the goal of raising $230,000 to fund its operating budget by the end of the year while helping area food banks keep their shelves stocked for the busy holiday season.

MTPR will host an on-air fundraising drive from 6 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 16, through 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 18. During the pledge drive, instead of offering thank-you gifts in exchange for listener donations as the station usually does, Missoula Federal Credit Union will match 5 percent of donations to benefit food banks and feeding programs throughout Montana.

People can donate anytime by calling 800-325-1565 or by going online.     

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New 'Backroads' episode premieres tonight

One stop on the new "Backroads of Montana" program is little more than an exit off the interstate. Another is a town with only one business. But both places harbor the kinds of unique stories and people who have become hallmarks for the popular MontanaPBS travelogue series. The latest program will air at 8 p.m. Monday, Nov. 14, on MontanaPBS.

Producer Gus Chambers stopped by Nemec's Parts and Repair in Coffee Creek. The business started in a small Quonset hut but now occupies several buildings north of town. Nemec's stocks hundreds of parts for farm implements and vehicles, from pickups to 18-wheelers. And with a staff of eight, it's the biggest employer in the area.

Chambers also spent a day with piano technician Mike Edwards at the Nevada City Music Hall, home to America's largest public collection of antique music machines, many of them from Butte.

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Documentary profiles legendary backcountry outfitter

According to Arnold "Smoke" Elser, three miles an hour -- the speed of a horse -- is the best way to see and savor a life well-lived. The retired backcountry outfitter's vision of wilderness has always included people, and a new documentary from MontanaPBS takes viewers into the Bob Marshall Wilderness to share Elser's history, passion and connection to the outdoors.

 "3 Miles An Hour" premieres at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 22, on MontanaPBS.

In 1955 Elser made his first trip out West. The young man from Ohio took his love of the outdoors and turned it into a career. After arriving in Montana, the previous generation's outfitters, Tom Edwards and Howard Copenhaver, taught him the art of packing and how to work with horses and mules. More than just practical skills, they taught him a wilderness ethic.

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Sigma Phi Epsilon plans biennial Run to Bozeman

The UM chapter of the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity is currently accepting donations for its biennial Run to Bozeman, a fundraiser that benefits Watson Children's Shelter in Missoula.

The fraternity, established at UM in 1918, holds the fundraiser every other year when Montana State University hosts the Griz-Cat football game in Bozeman. Starting Thursday, Nov. 17, 26 members of Sigma Phi Epsilon will take turns running relay shifts along the 201-mile stretch of Interstate 90 to Bozeman. The UM President's Office donated one van, and a friend of the fraternity donated another, for members to rest in when they're not running.

The fundraiser will benefit Watson Children's Shelter, a haven for western Montana children who are victims of abuse, neglect or family crisis. Fraternity members hope to raise $3,000 this year. Those interested in donating can do so securely online.