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ForUM
Jan. 25, 2010 | Vol. 38, No. 18 
 
In this issue:
Campus Links
Recent UM Publications

Welcome to ForUM, the e-newsletter for University of Montana staff, faculty and administrators. ForUM is published weekly during the academic year except during scheduled academic breaks.


 Campus Convocation At 1 P.M. Today
 

UM President George M. Dennison invites faculty, staff, administrators and students to join him for a Campus Convocation at 1 p.m. Monday, Jan. 25, in the University Theatre. During the program, he will address current budget issues and priorities of the University.

 


 Educator Named AAAS Fellow
 

Tom Martin, a faculty member in UM's Division of Biological Sciences, was named a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

AAAS is the world's largest general scientific society and publisher of the journal Science. The association named 531 members in 24 sections 2009 Fellows for their scientifically or socially distinguished efforts to advance science or its applications.

Martin, assistant leader of the U.S. Geological Survey's Montana Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit at UM, was named a Fellow as part of the Section on Biological Sciences for his distinguished contributions to the advancement of community and population evolutionary ecology, as well as for serving in officer and advisory roles for many national organizations to advance the programs among scientists and the public.

Also a faculty member in UM's Wildlife Biology Program, Martin focuses his research on habitat requirements of breeding birds. He studies the effects of climate change on birds and a high-elevation riparian ecosystem, as well as evolution of demographic strategies of breeding birds, with the goal of understanding ecology and evolution of traits important to conservation.

AAAS was founded in 1848. The association includes 262 affiliated societies and academies of science, serving 10 million individuals. The tradition of AAAS Fellows began in 1874. The newly elected AAAS Fellows will be honored at a Feb. 20 forum during the association's 2010 annual meeting in San Diego.

 


 UM Hires Technology Transfer Director
 

UM has hired a new director of technology transfer to help commercialize campus research, generate new startup companies and otherwise enhance the state's economy. Joe Fanguy started his new role fall semester and is based in the Office of the Vice President for Research and Development.

Fanguy came to UM from the Office of Research and Economic Development at Mississippi State University, where he was assistant director of the Office of Technology Commercialization. During his tenure there, he also worked as an applied research scientist and technology licensing associate. He earned a doctorate in biophysical chemistry with an emphasis in biotechnology instrumentation from Mississippi State University.

UM's Office of Technology Transfer manages the University's intellectual property portfolio, creates business relationships with external organizations through marketing and licensing efforts, and plays an active role in the formation of startup companies launched to commercialize UM technology.

Office of Technology Transfer 


 Art Professor Receives USA Fellowship
 

When United States Artists announced the recipients of its prestigious 2009 Fellowships in December, Professor Beth Lo of UM's School of Art was named a USA Hoi Fellow.

A renowned artist who works in ceramics and mixed media collage, Lo was one of 50 chosen from across the visual, literary and performing arts to receive a USA Fellowship. The fellowships, presented annually, include unrestricted grants of $50,000.

Lo was born in Lafayette, Ind., to parents who had recently immigrated to the U.S. from China, and her work revolves primarily around issues of family and her Asian-American background. Key elements in her works, which have been exhibited nationally, are cultural marginality and blending, tradition and Westernization, and language and translation.

Lo received a master of fine arts degree from UM in 1974. In 1994 she received a fellowship for visual art from the National Endowment for the Arts. She also is a past recipient of a Montana Arts Council Individual Artist Award.

 


 Study Shows Climate Change Stresses Forests
 

Leading UM researchers have released results of a new study that shows climate change will increase drought stress in northern Rocky Mountain forests, leading to increased potential for insect infestations and risk of more frequent and severe wildfires.

The peer-reviewed study, conducted by UM forestry researchers, finds that longer periods of drought will stress the forest ecosystem that includes areas in Montana, Wyoming and Idaho, with increased insect epidemic and wildfire disturbances. The economic impact of highest concern is the potential of a catastrophic wildfire in the region, which could affect more than 360,000 people who live in homes in the forest-urban interface that are valued at $21 billion.

"As temperatures rise, we will see about two months of additional drought stress each year by late this century," said study author Steve Running, Regents Professor of Ecology in UM's College of Forestry and Conservation. "And the worse global warming gets, the more significant the consequences for forests."

Read the Full Release 


 UM Celebrates Chinese Culture Week
 

In honor of the official inauguration of the Confucius Institute at the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Center, UM will celebrate Chinese Culture Week Monday through Friday, Jan. 25-29.

A six-person delegation from Southwest University of Political Science and Law in Chongqing, China, led by Zhang Guolin and Deng Chaoxi, will join UM President George Dennison, Mansfield Center Director Terry Weidner and Confucius Institute Co-director Qin Jie for a ceremony to mark the occasion. Representatives from the Chinese Embassy in Washington, D.C., also will attend.

UM will host events during the week that are free and open to the public:
  • 7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 26: A professional dance troupe from Southwest University will perform in the University Theatre.
  • 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 27: Rocky Mountain Ballet Theatre will hold a Chinese dance workshop in the University Center North Ballroom.
  • 7 p.m. Friday, Jan. 29: Chinese movie night in UC Room 330.
The Confucius Institute promotes Chinese language and culture education in Montana through distance learning, lectures, performances and more. It is part of a worldwide network of sister institutions funded by the Chinese Ministry of Education. For more inforamtion, call Jeri Jacobsen of the Mansfield Center at 243-2988 or visit the Mansfield Center Web site.

Maureen and Mike Mansfield Center 


 Community Lecture Series Begins Feb. 16
 

The 2010 Community Lecture Series -- "The Power to Move: Books and Art that Changed Our Lives -- will begin Tuesday, Feb. 16, and tickets are now available.

This year's series features lectures by six outstanding UM faculty members who will examine selected books and works of art that changed the way we think and behave. Those who attend the lecture series do not need to be familiar with the books or works of art to be discussed and can learn about them at the events.

Lectures will take place from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesdays, Feb. 16-March 23, at the University Center Theater. Each event will include a question-and-answer session. Cost for the complete lecture series is $20 for the general public, $15 for UM Alumni Association dues-paying members and $10 for students. Space is limited.

For tickets and more information about lecture events, go to the Office of Alumni Relations Web site or call 243-5211.

Office of Alumni Relations 


 Thought-Provoking Exhibition At MMAC
 

A traveling exhibition featuring artists from across the United States who used white supremacist propaganda to create thought-provoking works of art is currently on view at the Montana Museum of Art & Culture.

"Speaking Volumes: Transforming Hate" will be at MMAC through Saturday, March 6. The exhibition is traveling through the Museum of Art Gallery Directors Association of Montana. It was developed as a partnership between the Holter Museum of Art in Helena and the Montana Human Rights Network.

In 2004, MHRN secured more than 4,000 volumes of white supremacist propaganda from a defecting member of the World Church of the Creator, including numerous pamphlets and other literature written by church founder Ben Klassen. Rather than destroy the material, messages of intolerance and hate were transformed into a collection of objects intended to promote civic dialogue.

Three public events will take place in conjunction with the exhibition:
  • 7 p.m. Friday, Jan. 29: Travis McAdam, MHRN executive director, will speak about human rights and the making of the exhibition.
  • 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 4: Lecture by Katie Knight, curator of "Speaking Volumes: Transforming Hate," at the Masquer Theatre in the PAR/TV Center.
  • 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 25: Panel discussion featuring artists Dana Boussard, Stephen Glueckert and Lisa Jarrett at the Montana Theatre in the PAR/TV Center. Panel moderator will be former MHRN Director Ken Toole.
For gallery hours and more information, visit the MMAC Web site.

Montana Museum of Art & Culture 


 Artist Collective Exhibit At UC Gallery
 

Works from UM's Artist Collective will be on display through Friday, Feb. 19, at the University Center Gallery. An opening reception will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 28, at the gallery, located in UC Room 227. The reception is free, and the public is welcome to attend.

The UM Artist Collective is a student organization that sponsors events to showcase works by students of fine arts and to inspire interest in art in the Missoula community. Works in the Artist Collective exhibit were created by some of the organization's most active members, who work through a range of ideas and mediums but are unified in the goal to elevate student art.

Gallery hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, and admission is free. For more information, call gallery coordinator Samantha Guenthner at 243-4991 or e-mail ucartgallery@mso.umt.edu.

 


 Longtime MTPR Programmer Retires
 

After more than 35 years shaping classical music sojourns for Montana Public Radio listeners, Terry Conrad, music director for "Morning Classics," retired Jan. 1. Conrad retired as the station's program director in 2000 but maintained his posts as music director and host of the popular "Jazz Sessions" program on Thursday afternoons. He will continue his jazz disc jockey shift.

Hired as KUFM program director in 1973, Conrad began such programs as "Music at Dawn," "Bach and Before" and "Keyboard Masterworks" -- programming all of them from KUFM's small library of LP discs. Years later, with the addition of nationally syndicated programs such as "Performance Today," Conrad confined his local programming to "Morning Classics," now heard each weekday between 9 and 11 a.m.

Susan Israel, a "Morning Classics" host, assumes the music director duties. She has a bachelor's degree in music from Queens College, City University of New York, where she studied violin. She said following in Conrad's footsteps is a challenging opportunity.

"I'm excited," she said. "I hope to follow the tradition of Terry's programs, creating a wide range of programming that many people can enjoy."

 


 UM Giving Makes A Difference
 

Despite tough economic times, nearly 700 UM administrators, faculty members and staff participated in the 2009-10 Charitable Giving Campaign by donating $127,471 to local charitable organizations.

"I think it is remarkable the way UM employees stepped up for local charities in the face of a two-year wage freeze," said Dudley Improta, assistant director of Campus Recreation and chair of the 2009-10 campaign. "UM employees who find the time to serve on the campaign's Executive Committee, Steering Committee and as solicitors make this annual endeavor successful."

The fundraising effort that became UM's Charitable Giving Campaign began during the 1986-87 academic year when faculty and staff pledged $25,000. Since then the amount raised has increased nearly every year. Last year's campaign total was $125,841.

 


 Lifestyle Management Classes Offered
 

The following lifestyle management classes will be offered by Faculty-Staff Wellness spring semester. They are free, but registration is required. Both classes will be taught by MUS Wellness Director Jill Young.
  • 9 a.m.-noon Wednesday, Feb. 17 -- Awakening Your Inner Motivation to Change. Do you want to modify your eating habits, quit smoking, lose weight, enhance relationships, create or improve any aspect of your life? Learn evidence-based principles for sustaining lifestyle change and discover your own inner wisdom.
  • 9 a.m.-noon Friday, March 19 -- Living on Purpose from the Inside Out. An experiential workshop where you learn how you can live authentically through the exploration of questions like: "Who am I? Where am I going? How will I get there from the inside out?
The classes will be held in James E. Todd Building Room 203. To register or for more information, call 243-2027 or e-mail angela.priest@umontana.edu.

Faculty-Staff Wellness 


 Workshop: Hiring Foreign Nationals at UM
 

A free spotlight workshop -- "Are There Aliens on Campus? You Bet!" -- will be presented from 9 to 10 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 3, to help those involved in hiring at UM understand the best practices associated with bringing foreign nationals to campus as UM employees.

The workshop will empower participants to avoid the potentially costly and time-consuming pitfalls on the path to these employment opportunities. It also will provide data on the foreign national population on campus and some information on student foreign nationals.

The workshop will be held in James E. Todd Building Room 203. Those who would like to attend should e-mail their names and department names to shelley.hiniker@umontana.edu.

 


 Consultant Available For Retirement Planning
 

Patrick Connell, TIAA-CREF retirement consultant, will be available in University Center Room 224 by appointment Tuesday through Thursday, Jan. 26-28, to assist faculty and staff with retirement planning.

To make an appointment, call the TIAA-CREF Phone Center at 800-732-8353.

 


 Spring Semester Dates for Planning Ahead
 

  • Monday, Feb. 15: Presidents Day holiday
  • March 29-April 2: Spring Break
  • April 12-23: Fall semester 2010 registration begins
  • May 10-14: Final examinations
  • Saturday, May 15: Commencement


Academic Calendar 


 President Dennison's Office Hours
 

Each semester, President Dennison welcomes members of the campus community to meet with him to discuss issues and topics of their choice. Please call 243-2311 or e-mail prestalk@umontana.edu to make an appointment to meet with President Dennison during these times.

The president's office hours for spring semester are:
  • Wednesday, Jan. 27: 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
  • Thursday, Feb. 4: 9-11 a.m.
  • Friday, Feb. 12: 10 a.m.-noon
  • Tuesday, Feb. 16: 2-4 p.m.
  • Wednesday, Feb. 24: 9-11 a.m.
  • Tuesday, March 2: 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
  • Friday, March 19: 1-3 p.m.
  • Tuesday, March 23: 9-11 a.m.
  • Thursday, April 8: 9-11 a.m.
  • Monday, April 12: 3-5 p.m.
  • Friday, April 23: 10 a.m.-noon
  • Tuesday, April 27: 11 a.m.-1 p.m.


 


 Faculty/Staff Socials
 

Socials will be held from 4:30 to 6 p.m. most Fridays during spring semester in the Davidson Honors College Lounge. Spring semester dates and event sponsors are:
  • Jan. 29: President Dennison
  • Feb. 5: Sponsor to be determined
  • Feb. 12: College of Forestry and Conservation
  • Feb. 26: Sponsor to be determined
  • March 5: International Programs
  • March 12: College of Arts and Sciences
  • March 19: Sponsor to be determined
  • March 26: President Dennison
  • April 9: Sponsor to be determined
  • April 23: Sponsor to be determined
  • April 30: President Dennison
  • May 7: Sponsor to be determined


 


 News About U
 

News About U Geosciences Professor George Stanley, director of UM's Paleontology Center, was appointed to serve for a second year on the review panel for the science magazine Nature.

Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library Archives Photo Specialist Mark Fritch recently helped the U.S. Geological Survey locate "then and now" photographs from the library's Archives & Special Collections Digital Photo Project for their Glacier Park Repeat Photography Project. One of the photographs, an image of Boulder Glacier, was featured in the Dec. 14 issue of Newsweek.

 


 Publications
 

Books and Publications Ipsen, Catherine, Tom Seekins, and Craig Ravesloot. 2010. "Building the Case for Delivering Health Promotion Services within the Vocational Rehabilitation System." Rehabilitation Counseling Bulletin, 53(2):67-77.

Jabour, Anya (co-editor). 2010. Family Values in the Old South. Gainesville, FL: University Press of Florida.

Kusche, Brian R., Adrienne E. Smith, Michele A. McGuirl and Nigel D. Priestley. 2009. "Alternating Pattern of Stereochemistry in the Nonactin Macrocycle Is Required for Antibacterial Activity and Efficient Ion Binding." Journal of the American Chemical Society, 131(47):17155-17165.

Sriraman, Bharath (co-author). 2010. "Tracing Students' Modeling Processes in School." In Modeling Students' Modeling Competencies. (Eds.) R. Lesh et al. Springer Science. pp. 119-129.

Sriraman, Bharath (co-author). 2010. "Theories and Philosophies of Mathematics Education." In Theories of Mathematics Education: Seeking New Frontiers. Monograph 1 in the series Advances in Mathematics Education. Berlin/Heidelberg: Springer Science. pp. 7-32.

Stanley, G.D., Jr. (co-author). 2009. "Noriphyllia, a New Tethyan Late Triassic Coral Genus." Paläontologische Zeitschrift, 83:467-478.

 


Submissions must reach University Relations, 317 Brantly Hall, by noon Tuesday for inclusion in the following week's newsletter. Be sure to note that the submissions are for ForUM. E-mail submissions may be sent to campnews@mso.umt.edu. Items will be included as space permits. For more information, e-mail Brenda Day, ForUM editor.



phone: 406-243-2522
fax: 406-243-4520