The next installment of the President’s Lecture Series at UM will explore what animal behavior can teach us about sex and gender.

Marlene Zuk, professor of biology at the University of California, Riverside, will present “Sexual Selection: What We Can and Cannot Learn about Sex from Animals” at 8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 27, in the University Theatre.

Earlier that day, Zuk will give a seminar titled “Singing and Scales: Crickets Risking it all from an Acoustically-orienting Parasitoid” at 3:40 p.m. in Gallagher Business Building, Room 123.

Both the evening lecture and the afternoon seminar are free and open to the public.

During her evening lecture, Zuk will review the history of sexual selection and give some examples of its operation in animals. Then she will discuss recent findings that are changing our ideas about the traditional view of the philandering male and coy female.

A pioneer in the field of environmental law, Professor David S. Schoenbrod, will deliver a speech titled “Saving Our Environment from Washington” at the UM School of Law on Wednesday, Oct. 26.

He will speak at 5 p.m. at the Castles Center in the Jameson Law Library, located in the Law Building. A complimentary reception honoring Schoenbrod will follow the event.

Schoenbrod is a professor at the New York Law School and an adjunct scholar at the Cato Institute. His recent scholarship focuses on government officials and public interest advocates exercising power in ways that evade accountability to voters.

In addition to publishing in scholarly journals and contributing to the editorial pages of the Wall Street Journal, New York Times and other newspapers, Schoenbrod is the author of “Power Without Responsibility: How Congress Abuses the People Through Delegation” and the co-author of “Democracy by Decree: What Happens When Courts Run Government.”

United Nations Week in October was established to inform people about the aims, purposes and achievements of the organization. UM will acknowledge the week with three free, public lectures.

Zach Hudson, outreach and communications coordinator for the United Nations-USA’s Adopt-A-Minefield Project, will present “The Problem, Politics and Prescription of the Current Landmine Crisis” at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 25, in Gallagher Business School Room 122.

Nancy Ely Raphel, director of the State Department’s Human Rights Bureau, will present “Trafficking in Persons: Crimes Against Women and Children” at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 26, in Urey Lecture Hall.

Bruce Zagaris, a Washington, D.C., international criminal law specialist, will present “The U.S. Supreme Court Guantanamo Detention Cases and Their Aftermath” at 4 p.m. Friday, Oct. 28, in Law Building Room 202.

The National Conference on Undergraduate Research once again will be held at UM – in April 2010.

This will mark UM’s second time hosting the nation’s premier conference for undergraduate research and creative activities. UM hosted the 14th NCUR in April 2000.

The three-day conference is a large undertaking, since it involves about 2,500 students and mentors from across the nation. Students from 216 colleges and universities in 42 states attended the 2000 Missoula conference.

Free and open to the public, the conference features about 50 simultaneous offerings in all disciplines – natural science, social science, humanities, fine arts, engineering, education, nursing and more.

A UM College of Technology project is one of 11 selected to receive funding from the Biomass Research and Development Initiative, a joint effort of the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Department of Energy.

The agencies received 670 applications for a total of $12.6 million to fund projects that help develop renewable energy resources and expand markets for agricultural products.

The nearly $1 million awarded to COT will support the “Biopower Demonstration and Education Outreach Project.”

The goal of the project is to create awareness of the environmental and economic benefits of bioenergy through educational and research programs and a series of outreach initiatives that aim to expand the use of the technology.

Some of the genius-level math featured on the television program “Numb3rs” is being translated into exercises for kids by a UM math professor.

Johnny Lott, a faculty member at UM for the past 31 years, leads a team that designs activities derived from the prime-time CBS program, which airs at 9 p.m. Friday evenings. The lessons for teachers, students and parents are then placed on the “We All Use Math Every Day” Web site.

“Numb3rs,” for those who haven’t seen it, is about an FBI agent who recruits his mathematical genius brother to help the government solve a wide range of challenging crimes. All the math used in the program is based on real FBI cases.

UM geology Professor George Stanley will conduct research in paleontology at Kyushu University in Fukuoka, Japan, through December 2005.

Stanley, a world leader in the study of fossil corals, has been designated a Fellow of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science.

The fellowship, funded through the Japanese government, will support Stanley’s work with colleagues and students in Japan to excavate and study ancient marine fossils.

Two African journalists are visiting the UM campus this week to explore the role of the media in democracy.

John Mwendwa Gitari and Martin Ochioli are spending several days on campus and in media outlets around Missoula as part of their ongoing research at the Kettering Foundation. They are being hosted by Assistant Professor Denise Dowling of UM’s Department of Radio-Television. Dowling also conducts research for the foundation.

The journalists will spend time at radio and television newsrooms in Missoula, exploring how traditional newsroom practices might be changed to help citizens and public officials work together on common problems affecting their countries. While in Missoula, the journalists also will speak with students in the classroom.

The annual MEA-MFT Educators’ Conference is under way at the UM College of Technology.

The Montana Education Association and Montana Federation of Teachers merged five years ago to form MEA-MFT, the largest union in Montana with more than 16,000 members.

UM’s COT and Sentinel High School are hosting the Oct. 21-22 conference, which is held each year to offer educators opportunities for professional development. Nearly 3,000 Montana educators are expected to attend.

The News Team at KUFM-Montana Public Radio recently earned five awards from the Montana Associated Press Broadcasters Association.

The 2005 Joe Durso Awards for Excellence in Broadcast Journalism were presented at the association’s annual meeting in Billings earlier this month. The awards honor Joe Durso Jr., a longtime UM broadcast journalism professor who died in 1998.

The KUFM team won five of the eight awards in the radio category. Entries were chosen from a pool of more than 160 for both radio and television news.

Award winners are: Kevin Maki, Best Audio for “Sheep Shearer;” Kirk Siegler, Best Enterprise for “Kootenai Lodge” and Best Newswriting for “Home Improvement Wars;” and Sally Mauk and Kirk Siegler, Best Spot News Edited for “Bush Visit” and Best Spot News Live for “Bush in Great Falls.”

The UM Bureau of Business and Economic Research has earned the 2005 Award of Excellence in Publications for The Montana Business Quarterly and the 2005 Web Site Award for BBER’s Web site.

The awards were presented by the Association for University Business and Economic Research, which recently held a conference in Missoula.

Published by BBER, the Montana Business Quarterly is distributed to nearly 2,000 subscribers and includes articles on Montana’s business and economic climate.

Redesigned and revamped in 2004, BBER’s Web site provides current, in-depth information on BBER research, including manufacturing, forest products, health care and the Montana Kids Count program. The Web site also provides economic forecasts for local areas, the state and the nation.

A three-part lecture series geared toward learners 55 and older begins Friday, Oct. 28, at UM.

Lectures will be held on three consecutive Friday mornings from 10 to 11:30 a.m. in the University Center Theater. See the news release for a schedule and lecture descriptions.

The series, sponsored by the Lifelong Learning Institute, is free and open to the public. To be sure that adequate seating is available and enough handouts are prepared, lecture organizers do ask that you call (406) 243-6331 if you plan to attend the series.

Presented by Professor Rafael Chacon of UM’s Department of Art, the lectures focus on noted Missoula architect A.J. Gibson. Chacon recently completed a book on Gibson’s life and work.

Gibson designed many prominent buildings in the region, including the Missoula County Courthouse, the Carnegie Library that houses the Art Museum of Missoula, the Daly Mansion, and UM’s Main Hall, Math Building and Jeannette Rankin Hall.

Chris Eyre, the acclaimed director of “Smoke Signals” and “Skins,” will give a free public lecture Monday, Oct. 24, at UM.

Eyre, a member of Oklahoma’s Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes, will present “From Smoke Signals to Skins” at 7 p.m. in the Montana Theatre, located in the Performing Arts and Radio/Television Center.

The director will show clips and discuss his early work and recent films. He also will take a critical and historical look at portrayals of American Indians in mainstream Hollywood films. His visit is being sponsored by UM’s Office of Academic Affairs.

UM’s Wilderness Institute will offer a free showing of the film “Monumental: David Brower’s Fight for Wild America” at 7 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 25, in the University Center Theater.

Brower, a longtime president of the Sierra Club, founded the Friends of the Earth and was twice nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. The film examines his critical role in the history of the American conservation movement.

The UM Department of Drama/Dance presents “Proof” at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 25-29 and Nov. 1-5, in the Masquer Theatre in the Performing Arts and Radio/Television Center.

Following the death of her brilliant but unstable mathematician father, Catherine, a troubled young woman, must deal with her own volatile emotions regarding the arrival of her estranged sister, Claire, and the attentions of Hal, a former student of her father’s who hopes to find valuable work in the 103 notebooks that her father left behind.

Audience discretion is advised, as there is adult language. To reserve seats, call the drama/dance box office at (406) 243-4581.

“Ducks for Bucks,” a community-wide rubber duck race, will be held Saturday, Nov. 5, to raise money for American Red Cross efforts to aid victims of Hurricane Katrina.

The race will begin at 11 a.m. at Jacob’s Island on the northern edge of the UM campus. All proceeds will benefit the Red Cross.

Those wanting to participate in the race can buy numbered rubber ducks for a minimum $5 donation each at the Good Food Store, 1600 S. 3rd W., at The Source information desk in the University Center, or by e-mailing kimberbake@yahoo.com.

Race participants with ducks placing first through 10th – as well as last – will receive prizes. Participants do not need to be present to win.

A lecture titled “Planning Your European Vacation” will be presented by Udo Fluck from 7 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 15, in University Center Room 330.

Fluck, a native of Germany, is director of Multicultural Learning Solutions at UM. He will offer tips and insights for enjoying European travels.

The lecture is free and open to the public. Sponsors are UM’s Foreign Student and Scholar Services and the Missoula International Friendship Program.

Montana's 16-game home winning streak came to an end at the packed Washington-Grizzly Stadium last Saturday, when the Big Sky Conference favorite Eastern Washington Eagles defeated the Grizzlies 34- 20.

In his second game as starting quarterback for the Grizzlies, Cole Bergquist connected 25 out of 40 attempts for 246 yards and one touchdown. Sophomore receiver Ryan Bagley had a breakout game, catching nine balls for 102 yards and one touchdown. Receiver Mike Ferriter caught eight balls for 87 yards, while running back Lex Hilliard was held in check as he ran for 58 yards on 15 attempts and one touchdown.

The loss dropped Montana to ninth in the national rankings. UM plays its final non-conference game this Saturday against third-ranked Cal Poly. The Griz-Mustangs matchup kicks off at 1:05 p.m. in Washington-Grizzly Stadium.

The UM volleyball team earned its first Big Sky Conference win of the season with a five-game victory at Idaho State Friday night. Junior Claudia Houle had 21 kills and 18 digs to lead the Grizzlies, while junior EvaLyn Whitehead matched a career high with 14 kills.

Montana closed the first half of its Big Sky Conference schedule with a 3-1 loss at Weber State Saturday night. The Grizzlies dropped to 11-10 overall, 1-6 in league play.

Despite the loss, one Grizzly broke a 14-year-old record: Sophomore Jackie White collected a school-record 46 digs. The previous record was 43, held by Kathy Young (vs. Gonzaga on Oct. 14, 1991).

Montana opens the second half of its Big Sky Conference schedule this weekend, when the Grizzlies host Sacramento State and Northern Arizona. Montana will play the league-leading Hornets at 7 p.m. tonight and the Lumberjacks at 7 p.m. Saturday. Both games are in the West Auxiliary Gym.

Montana Soccer lost 2-1 to South Dakota State in a non-conference matchup Friday night in Brookings, S.D. Sunday afternoon, Montana lost 3-0 to North Dakota State at Ellig Sports Complex in Fargo, N.D.

Dropping their sixth consecutive contest, the Grizzlies now are 2-11-1 on the season. Despite the loss, Montana outshot its opponent for the third time in four games, holding a 14-9 advantage in shots taken.

The Grizzlies return home to face Idaho State and Weber State this weekend in Big Sky Conference matches. The Grizzlies play the Bengals today and square off against the Wildcats at noon Sunday. Both matches will be played at South Campus Soccer Field.