'Capture The Moment' At UM Galleries
 View 143 Pulitzer Prize-Winning Photographs

The largest and most comprehensive exhibition of Pulitzer Prize-winning photographs ever shown in the United States will open Friday, Aug. 7, at the Montana Museum of Art & Culture and the Gallery of Visual Arts.

"Capture the Moment: The Pulitzer Prize Photographs" features 143 color and black-and-white photographs of some of the world's most iconic images. Included are a huge variety of photographs of pivotal moments in history, politics, sports, war and much more. The UM exhibition features every Pulitzer Prize-winning photograph since 1942, the first year the prize was awarded.

"Capture the Moment" will be at MMAC's Paxson and Meloy galleries, located in the PAR/TV Center, and at the Gallery of Visual Arts, located on the first floor of UM's Social Science Building, through Friday, Oct. 23. The large-scale prints of the winning photographs will be organized chronologically, beginning in MMAC's Meloy Gallery, then proceeding to the museum's Paxson Gallery, and finally ending with the most current images in the Gallery of Visual Arts.

MMAC and the Gallery of Visual Arts will extend normal hours of operation for the run of the exhibition. Special extended hours are Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.; Thursdays, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.; Fridays, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.; and Saturdays, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

An opening reception will take place from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 7, at MMAC and the Gallery of Visual Arts. For more information, visit MMAC's Web site or call 243-2019.

Montana Museum of Art & Culture 

 Main Hall Gets A Face-Lift
 

The bells on Main Hall fell silent this month as campus prepares for renovations on the clock tower and roof, set to begin this week. In a $1.4 million state- and University-funded project, construction crews will replace the roof, make masonry repairs and build a web of iron structural supports inside the tower for seismic reinforcement.

The goal of the project is to make changes while maintaining the legendary look of the University's cornerstone building. Original construction on Main Hall, designed by celebrated Missoula architect A.J. Gibson, began upon the founding of UM in 1893.

Work on Main Hall is expected to be finished in December. For more information, call UM architect and project manager Jerry Ballas at 243-5923 or e-mail jerry.ballas@mso.umt.edu.

 

 UM Partners With Ethiopian College
 

UM moved one step further in promoting research and study opportunities with other nations in May when President George Dennison signed an agreement with Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia.

The partnership with one of Africa's top universities will establish much-anticipated avenues for faculty research and exchanges, student exchanges, and joint conferences and publications.

Tsige Gebremariam Woldemariam, the vice president for Graduate Studies and Research at Addis Ababa University, and Dennison signed the agreement during a weeklong visit of Ethiopian administrators.

The agreement creates a unique connection in East Africa for UM, which currently has nearly 90 partnerships and agreements in various parts of the world.

For more information, call Jeanne Loftus of UM International Programs at 243-6865 or e-mail jeanne.loftus@umontana.edu.

 

 Dubai University Collaborates With UM
 

UM has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Dubai-based American University in the Emirates, paving the way for future collaboration that includes student and faculty exchanges.

Mehrdad Kia, UM associate provost for International Programs, said AUE has particular interest in collaborating with the College of Education and Human Sciences and the School of Business Administration. UM, for its part, will be able to strengthen its programs in Middle Eastern studies and Arabic, fields of study that are seeing increased student interest, he said.

"This new relationship holds a great deal of promise for The University of Montana and its faculty and students," said UM President George Dennison.

For more information about the exchange agreement, call Brian Lofink, liaison for UM International Programs, at 243-2299.

 

 Researchers Land NSF Awards
 

Scientists recently scored big for UM research by earning three prestigious Early Career Development Program grants from the National Science Foundation. This is the second consecutive year that multiple UM researchers have earned the five-year awards.

The latest honors went to assistant professors Klara Briknarova in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Lila Fishman in the Division of Biological Sciences, and Art Woods in the Division of Biological Sciences.

Each year between 350 and 400 assistant professors nationally earn CAREER grants, which honor promising teacher-scholars who most effectively integrate research and education for their institution.

"Having several CAREER awardees for two years in a row is simply outstanding," said Daniel Dwyer, UM vice president for research and development. "I think this highlights the caliber of faculty we have at this University, and it bodes well that we have so many young rising stars in science."

Read the Full News Release 

 Health Education Center Director Chosen
 

Larry White, former president and CEO of St. Patrick Hospital and Health Sciences Center, has been selected to direct the Western Montana Area Health Education Center at UM.

The center is a grant-funded government program that focuses on recruiting pre-college students to health careers, recruiting professionals to rural, underserved communities and connecting communities to better health services. It is located on campus in Skaggs Building Room 173.

White has served as acting director of the center since it opened its doors at UM in October 2008. He holds a dual appointment at the University, serving also as a research assistant professor in the School of Public Health and Community Sciences.

Read the Full News Release 

 Dining Services Takes Top Prize
 

The National Association of College and University Food Services recently awarded University Dining Services first place for their entry in the NACUFS 2009 Best Local Foods Recipe competition.

UM Executive Tom Siegel's recipe for Hutterite Chicken and Big Sky Mushroom Ragout was awarded top honors in the very competitive national field. The recipe highlights the UDS commitment to growing relationships with local food producers.

The entry, in booklet form, was displayed during the NACUFS National Conference in Milwaukee. UDS Director of Marketing Jerry O'Malley accepted the award July 11 at the conference's Loyal E. Horton Dining Awards luncheon. UDS also received the first-place Gold Award for Casa Nina in the Large University Category for Stand-Alone Concept/Outlet at the ceremony.

 

 Endowment Supports Lifelong Learning
 

The Bernard Osher Foundation awarded a $1 million endowment to the University this spring that will help sustain the highly successful Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at UM.

The institute, known on campus and throughout the Missoula community as MOLLI, is under the auspices of UM Continuing Education. It is one of only 123 Osher Lifelong Learning Institutes in the nation that receives funding from the Bernard Osher Foundation.

Each spring, fall and winter, MOLLI presents courses for people 50 and older that are taught by dynamic UM professors and community educators. Memberships cost only $20 and are renewed annually each July. They help ensure that MOLLI will continue to be funded to offer lifelong learning opportunities in Missoula and surrounding communities.

Membership is required to register for MOLLI courses. Gift certificates are available for the $20 membership fee or for course fees, which generally cost $60. To support lifelong learning as a new MOLLI member or to renew an annual membership, call Dannette Fadness at 243-2905 or e-mail dannette.fadness@umontana.edu.

Osher Lifelong Learning Intstitute 

 Explore Planets, Nebulae, Galaxies
 

The Blue Mountain Observatory will host free public viewings, where people can get up close with planets, nebulae and distant galaxies, on the following Fridays: July 24, Aug. 14 and 21, and Sept. 11 and 18.

Observing begins about an hour after sunset, and organizers recommend bringing warm clothes for cool evenings and a flashlight for the walk from the observatory to the parking lot.

Viewing nights will be canceled only if the sky is cloudy or thunderstorms threaten. Call 243-5179 for weather and cancellation updates. More information, including approximate viewing times, directions and a map to the observatory, are on the Blue Mountain Observatory Web site.

Blue Mountain Observatory 

 MMAC Hires New Curator
 

Brandon Reintjes has been selected as the new curator of the Montana Museum of Art & Culture at UM. As curator he will be responsible for the overall management of the museum's Permanent Collection, have primary input on selecting and curating exhibitions and serve as an important liaison to the regional artist community.

Reintjes, originally from Bozeman, received a bachelor of fine arts degree from the School of Art Institute of Chicago and recently completed a master's of art in curatorial and critical studies at the University of Louisville in Kentucky. Before graduate school, Reintjes spent four years at the Holter Museum of Art in Helena, where he was curator of exhibitions and collections.

Reintjes said his goal is to help galvanize the identity of the already progressive museum by working to gain the momentum needed for it to expand into a building of its own. He also will continue working with artists to develop compelling, educational and inspired programming.

 

 Fall Reading Discussion Opportunities
 

UM's First-Year Reading Experience program brings students new to the University together to read a selected book and discuss it at events that include a campus visit by the author. Part of the program is a writing contest open only to entering freshmen.

"The Confessions of Max Tivoli" by UM alumnus Andrew Sean Greer has been selected as UM's 2009 First-Year Reading Experience book. On Wednesday, Oct. 21, Greer will offer an afternoon seminar at 2:10 p.m. and will speak at 7:30 p.m. Both events will take place in the University Theatre.

The novel has garnered international critical acclaim for the beauty of its language, the richness of its historical detail and the heartbreaking nature of its storytelling. It encompasses themes related to aging, the body, memory, identity, love and the commingling of joy and sorrow in human life.

"'The Confessions of Max Tivoli' offers a variety of contexts that provide the potential for the campus community to engage first-year students in far-reaching discussions," said UM Associate Provost Arlene Walker-Andrews.

For information about the program and how faculty can get involved, call Megan Stark, Mansfield Library undergraduate services librarian, at 243-2864 or e-mail megan.stark@umontana.edu. Additional information also is on the First-Year Reading Experience Web site.

First-Year Reading Experience 

 MILES Program Changes This Fall
 

Beginning fall semester 2009, the Montana Integrative Learning Experience for Students program, funded by a grant from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, will go to a full-year funding cycle rather than the semester-to- semester funding cycle used in the past. The program provides opportunities for students to conduct original research through honors fellowships with mentoring by nationally and internationally recognized faculty researchers.

The new program will require a two-semester (fall and spring), two-credit course aimed at helping students learn and solidify research-related concepts such as research design, data collection, computational methods and communications skills. This course will replace the MILES Forum and will complement knowledge gained through mentored research, helping students to complete research projects, presentations and manuscripts.

The 2009-10 MILES program will require a new application packet to be submitted. Funding of these proposals is a competitive process among both new and continuing peers. Applications for the 2009-10 MILES program are due Wednesday, July 29th, at 5 p.m. For more information, go to the MILES program Web site, call 243-5670 or e-mail kate.tran@mso.umt.edu.

MILES Program 

 Van Safety Training Scheduled
 

Van Safety training must be renewed every three years to allow driving state or University vehicles carrying eight passengers or more.

Two Van Safety training sessions, open to all Montana University System and state employees, will take place at UM in July and August. Registration is required. The training sessions will be held from 9 a.m. to noon Thursday, July 23, and Wednesday, Aug. 19, in University Center Room 330.

Register on the Risk Management and Tort Defense Web site. For more information, call Kathy Benson, UM risk management coordinator, at 243-2700 or e-mail kathy.benson@umontana.edu.

Risk Management and Tort Defense 

 News About U
 

College of Technology Dean Barry Good and instructors Tom Campbell, Joe Crepeau, Debora Fillmore, Penny Jakes and David Neu attended the International Conference on Teaching and Leadership Excellence May 24-27 in Austin, Texas. During the conference, Campbell, Crepeau, Fillmore, Jakes and Neu all received Teaching Excellence Awards from the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development, based at the University of Texas, Austin.

Professor Emeritus Brian Sharkey received the Wildland Safety award from the International Association of Wildland Fire -- the most prestigious award given to individuals in the wildland firefighting community. The award goes to those who have made significant contributions to wildland firefighter safety, either directly on the fireline or indirectly through management, cultural changes or wildland fire research. Sharkey received the award at the IAWF annual meeting April 29 in Phoenix.

The Montana Behavioral Initiative recognized UM's Co-Teach Program for exemplary instruction with the Early Childhood Exemplar School designation. The designation is given to one early childhood school in the state each year. With the award, Co-Teach Preschool at UM joins a prestigious group of educator teams and schools that meet the highest standards for promoting a positive educational environment and children's safety. The Montana Behavioral Initiative is sponsored by the state's Office of Public Instruction.

A book release celebration for "Alpha Female" by April Christofferson, will be held from 3 to 6 p.m. Friday, July 24, in the lobby of the James E. Todd Building. Christofferson is a technical writer with the Continuing Education Technical Assistance and Training Center. Books will be available for purchase at the celebration.

Davidson Honors College Dean James McKusick worked with three translators on a new Japanese-language translation of his book "Green Writing: Romanticism and Ecology." The book was originally published by St. Martin's Press in 2000 and is still in print. McKusick also prepared a new preface for the Japanese translation.

Geography Professor Christiane von Reichert presented findings from her CSREES/USDA-funded research on "The Draw of Rural Hometowns" at the Rural Communities Conference held May 12-13 at Montana State University-Bozeman. Von Reichert also was invited to serve as a panelist at the Montana Roundtable of the Western Rural Development Center May 13 in Bozeman.

Geosciences Professor George Stanley, director of UM's Paleontology Center, participated in developing the "Encyclopedia of Life" project June 15-19 at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C. While there, he joined specialists on modern corals and related groups to discuss the Treatise on Invertebrate Paleontology, for which he is coordinating editor, and to develop an electronic database on ancient diversity.

Mathematics Professor Bharath Sriraman was recently named one of Northern Illinois University's 50 Golden Alumni. The 50 alumni were chosen from 70,000 people who graduated from the university since 1959 as most outstanding for research, service, community outreach activities and lifetime achievement.

Political science Professor Peter Koehn presented "3Ts for the 21st Century: Transborder Migration, Transnational Empowerment and Transformation of Professional Education" at the meeting of the Transnationalisation, Migration and Transformation: Multi-Level Analysis of Migrant Transnationalism project. The meeting took place June 5 at Moulay Ismail University, Meknes, Morocco.

 

 Publications
 

Bendick, R. and J. Baldwin. 2009. "Dynamic Models for Metamorphic Core Complex Formation and Scaling: The role of unchannelized collapse of thickened continental crust." Tectonophysics.

Harrison, Brady (editor). 2009. All Our Stories Are Here: Critical Perspectives on Montana Literature. Lincoln, NE: University of Nebraska Press.

Harrison, Brady. 2009. "Empire and the Anxiety of Influence." In Cary Nelson and the Struggle for the University: Poetry, Politics, and the Profession. (Eds.) Michael Rothberg and Peter K. Garrett. Albany, NY: SUNY Press. pp. 193-200.