UM-Missoula will celebrate American Indian Heritage Day with a panel discussion, an evening of Native music, traditional food and more Friday, Sept. 24. UM President George Dennison started American Indian Heritage Day several years ago as a way for campus to honor Native cultures and traditions. All events are free and open to the public.

Hundreds of people will converge on the UM-Missoula campus Saturday, Sept. 25, for the annual American Heart Association Missoula Heart Walk. The walk begins at 8:30 a.m. on the Mansfield Mall, and the 2.3-mile route circles campus. Walkers are hoping to raise $150,000 to fund heart disease and stroke research.

Carl Djerassi, one of the most accomplished organic chemists of the 20th century who is best known for his role in the chemical synthesis and commercialization of the oral contraceptive pill, will deliver two lectures Sept. 27-28 at UM-Missoula.

Djerassi, a chemistry professor at Stanford University, will present "The Pill: History and Prognosis" at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 27, in North Underground Lecture Hall and "Washing Dirty Labcoats in Public: A Discussion with Professor D" at 1:10 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 28, in Main Hall Room 210. Both lectures are free and open to the public.

Djerassi has been awarded the National Medal of Science for his oral contraceptive work and has received the National Medal of Technology for promoting new approaches to insect control.

Since 1986 he has published numerous poems and short stories, five "science-in-fiction" novels, two autobiographies and more. Copies of his books will be available at his lecture for free distribution to students.

The lectures are sponsored by the Richard E. Juday Endowment for Chemistry.

The University of Montana President's Lecture Series kicks off Wednesday, Sept. 29, with a lecture on bio-nano science. The lecture is free and open to the public.

Toyo University Professor Toru Maekawa will deliver a lecture titled "Bio-Nano Science and Technology" at 8 p.m. in the University Theatre. Maekawa will explain the revolutionary technological implications of bio-nano science, a field in which he has established an international reputation as a researcher.

He also will present an afternoon seminar in conjunction with the University of Montana-Toyo University Symposium on Bio-Nano Technology and Sciences. The seminar, titled "Self-Organization in Nana/Micro Systems," will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 30, in the University Center Theater.

Maekawa directs the Bio-Nano Electronics Research Center at Toyo University in Kawagoe, Japan. The center was selected as a Center of Excellence in the field of Interdisciplinary New Science by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology in 2003.

The bio-nano science symposium is scheduled for Sept. 29-30 at UM and includes lectures by leading researchers from UM and Toyo University.

Find the volunteer opportunities you've been looking for at the Office for Civic Engagement's Volunteer Fair from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 29 and Thursday, Sept. 30, at the University Center.

More than 20 nonprofit organizations will be represented at the event, including the American Red Cross, UM's Disability Services for Students and Big Brothers Big Sisters.

Distinguished speakers from Montana and across the country will discuss public land management at the 28th annual Public Land Law Conference Sept. 29-Oct. 1. The conference is free and open to the public. It begins at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 29, in the UC Theater with a keynote presentation by Chief Judge Donald W. Molloy of the U.S. District Court in Montana. Lectures continue at 8:30 a.m. Thursday and Friday in the UC Alumni Boardroom.

University of Montana law Professor Raymond Cross and a UM alumnus who wrote a book honoring him will be in the spotlight during an event on campus Thursday, Sept. 30.

The School of Law will host a noon reception in the Castles Center to celebrate "Coyote Warrior (One Man, Three Tribes and the Trial That Forged a Nation)," a critically acclaimed book that tells the Cross family story.

Written by Paul VanDevelder, the book is both biographical and historical in its portrayal of Ray Cross as a legal warrior with wisdom, humility, determination, and legal and intellectual power.

A graduate of the UM School of Journalism, VanDevelder will be in Missoula for the Festival of the Book Sept. 30-Oct. 2. His book on Cross will be available for purchase during the law school reception, or members of the public may bring their own copy for signing by the author and Cross. Cookies and lemonade will be served during the event.

Christopher Muste, senior polling analyst at the Washington Post, will discuss the upcoming presidential election during a lecture Friday, Oct. 1, at UM-Missoula.

Muste will present "A Washington Post Pollster Parses the 2004 Presidential Election" from 2 to 3 p.m. in the third-floor University Center Theater. The event is free and open to the public.

He will examine the mechanics of opinion surveys, the role of polling in the 2004 presidential election and the predictive value of polls regarding the November outcome. His lecture will be followed by questions from a response panel and the audience.

One of two national poetry fellowships was won by a UM-Missoula student. Nathan Bartel recently received the $15,000 Ruth Lilly Poetry Fellowship.

Bartel, who is pursuing his master of fine arts degree, competed with more than 150 students for the annual award in a competition open to all undergraduate and graduate writing programs in the United States. The grant can be used toward the winners' continual study of writing and poetry.

Sports Illustrated readers acknowledged last week what 24,000 Griz fans already know -- Washington-Grizzly Stadium is one great place to watch football. Sports Illustrated On Campus, a new magazine covering college sports and collegiate lifestyles, named Montana No. 25 in its top 25 list of the best college sports towns. Those topping the list were to be expected: Tennessee, Lousiana State and Texas A&M. UM is the only I-AA school on the list, and the Oregon Ducks and the Washington Huskies were the only other colleges in this part of the country to make the cut.

UM-Missoula's Web site has a fresh new look that premiered this week.

Rather than a complete redesign, as was introduced last year, the new site is simply a refinement of the previous design with added improvements and features based on user feedback.

The centerpiece of the new site is a collection of photographs featured on the home page and secondary pages, as well as in a "Griz Greetings" gallery where people can send virtual postcards of campus and Montana scenery.

The improved site also offers a more dynamic News and Events system, including the ability to search upcoming events and archived news releases.

The quickness and speed of Colorado College was enough to overcome Montana's size, scoring ability and physical play as the Tigers defeated the Grizzlies 2-1 Friday evening at South Campus Stadium. The game marked the team's first home loss this season. The Grizzlies then traveled to Lincoln, Neb., and lost 2-1 to the Nebraska Huskers on a windy Sunday afternoon. The Huskers out-shot Montana 32-10 and recorded 17 shots on goal to the Grizzlies' three. UM plays host to the Montana Fall Classic this weekend at South Campus Stadium in Missoula. The Grizzlies will be joined by the Gonzaga Bulldogs, Hawaii Rainbow Wahine and New Mexico Lobos in UM's final weekend of non-conference play. New Mexico will face Hawaii in the opening match at 3 p.m., Friday, Sept.24. The Gonzaga-Montana match is scheduled to follow the early match with a 5 p.m. approximate start time. Action continues Sept. 26 with a noon contest pitting Gonzaga and Hawaii, and a 2 p.m. match between New Mexico and the Grizzlies.

The Montana Grizzlies are no longer No. 1 in the land. A decisive 41-29 loss to the unranked Sam Houston State BearKats last Saturday in Huntsville, Texas, dropped the Griz to No. 7 in the I-AA polls. BearKat quarterback Dustin Long diced up the Griz defense, throwing for 329 yards and two touchdowns. The Grizzlies return home to play the University of Northern Colorado Bears Sept. 25, in UM's Washington-Grizzly Stadium. Kickoff is 1:07 p.m.

The University of Montana volleyball team lost its opening match of the Boise State Northwest Challenge on Friday, Sept. 17, falling to the host Broncos in three games, 30-25, 30-26, 30-19. For the eighth time in eight matches this season, sophomore Claudia Houle led the Grizzlies in kills, recording a team-high 12 kills. On Saturday, the Griz faced the No. 3 ranked Washington Huskies and were swept in three matches 30-18, 30-21, 30-16. Montana dropped to 2-7 on the season with the loss. The Griz open Big Sky Conference play this weekend, at Weber State in Ogden, Utah, Sept. 24, and at Idaho State in Pocatello, Idaho, Sept. 25.