Monday, March 17
- 12:00 PM // SPO Brown Bag -- Jacinth Tan -- University of Illinois // 819 Psychology// ROSHNI
SPO Brown Bag -- Jacinth Tan -- University of Illinois- 1:30 pm - 3:30 pm // Live Webcast: A Union's Greatest Challenges: Europe's Future Path toward Economic Growth, Global Competitiveness and Addressing Debt // 507 E. Green St., Room 411, Champaign, IL // ANNE
Lindsey: Both the man and woman in charge were a part of the
European Union and were also teachers at the U of I. They were not sure how
this live webcast was going to go and were not sure if the group of us at U of
I were supposed to be in the chat and give feedback.
- 6:00PM // Culture Talk: St. Patrick's Day // IEI // CORIE
Tuesday, March 18
- 11:00am-12:30pm // Videoconference Panel Discussion (with U. of Pittsburgh): English & Scottish Nationalism // 507 E. Green St., Room 411, Champaign, IL (map) // LINDSEY
- 2:00pm// Lemann Lecture Series. Urban History and the Historical Paradigms of Citizenship: A View from Brazil// 101 International Studies Building, 910 S. Fifth Street, Champaign// Free// Joey
- 2:30 pm // Final Defense - Justin Hepler // 318 Psychology Building
- 2:00pm// Lemann Lecture Series. Urban History and the Historical Paradigms of Citizenship: A View from Brazil// 101 International Studies Building, 910 S. Fifth Street, Champaign// Free// Joey
- 2:30 pm // Final Defense - Justin Hepler // 318 Psychology Building
Jill: Justin Hepler gave his dissertation
presentation (which was 70 slides) on studies he had completed. He called it
The Sequential Exposure Bias. His research consisted of 8 studies about how
people search/look for information.
- 3:45 // Astronomy Colloquium: "Using a Billion Dollar Observatory for a Cosmic Scavenger Hunt: The Discovery of an Extreme Molecular Super Star Cluster Precursor with ALMA", Kelsey Johnson, University of Virginia // Astronomy 134 // CHRIS
- 4:00pm // ISE Seminar-Image-guided Evaluation of Musculoskeletal Disorder and Surgery: Bridge Engineering and Clinical Worlds // 303 Transportation Bldg // CHRIS
Wednesday, March 19
- 2pm // Lemann Lecture Series: Cold War Politics and the Arts in Brazil: Reappraising Guerra-Peixe's Empirical Research on Northeastern Traditional Music (1950-1952) // Lucy Ellis Lounge. 707 South Mathews Ave, Urbana, IL 61801 // Cate
- 3:00 pm - 4:30 pm // Building Effective Student Teams: What, How, and Why // 428 Armory // ANNE
Maggie: Anne and I felt slightly awkward attending it at
first, but after the workshop got going, it felt comfortable and engaging.
- 4:00 pm // Solo Oud Performance by Essam Rafea // Spurlock Museum, Knight Auditorium // BRiAN
- 5:00 pm // Waasawekameg: A Faraway Place -- a performance piece based on the poetry of Jane Johnston Schoolcraft // Free // LINDSEY
- 6:00 pm // Less Commonly Taught Languages Program Film Series: "Destiny" // Lucy Ellis Lounge, 1080 Foreign Languages Building // BRiAN
Brigitte: One loves dancing and hanging out with gypsies,
while the other has feelings for the philosopher's daughter
Chris: Averroes, a Spanish-Arabic philosopher, is teaching
that reason and faith don't have to go hand in hand. This is very controversial
in his time and location, and it results in the brutal killing of one of
Averroes' disciples that the film opens on.
- 7:00pm // monsters & dragons (storytelling) // Institute for Creativity // SEANO
Brian: About the event itself: WOW I was blown away,
I had such a great time listening to all of the various speakers recite these
different folklore about monsters and dragons
- 7:30pm // Kronos Quartet // KCPA // SEANO
- 3:00 pm - 4:30 pm // Building Effective Student Teams: What, How, and Why // 428 Armory // ANNE
Anne: Once our time was up she had everyone stand up and
she asked those with 2 or less to sit down then three then four then all the
sudden I was left standing with 2 others and we were the “winners” I felt
pretty good about myself. Overall this event made me feel very uncomfortable
but I did learn a lot about what goes on behind the scenes with group/team
projects.
Maggie: Anne and I felt slightly awkward attending it at
first, but after the workshop got going, it felt comfortable and engaging.- 4:00 pm // Solo Oud Performance by Essam Rafea // Spurlock Museum, Knight Auditorium // BRiAN
- 5:00 pm // Waasawekameg: A Faraway Place -- a performance piece based on the poetry of Jane Johnston Schoolcraft // Free // LINDSEY
- 6:00 pm // Less Commonly Taught Languages Program Film Series: "Destiny" // Lucy Ellis Lounge, 1080 Foreign Languages Building // BRiANBrigitte: One loves dancing and hanging out with gypsies,
while the other has feelings for the philosopher's daughterChris: Averroes, a Spanish-Arabic philosopher, is teaching
that reason and faith don't have to go hand in hand. This is very controversial
in his time and location, and it results in the brutal killing of one of
Averroes' disciples that the film opens on.- 7:00pm // monsters & dragons (storytelling) // Institute for Creativity // SEANO
- 7:30pm // Kronos Quartet // KCPA // SEANO
Thursday, March 20
- 8:30am// North American Materials Education Symposium// Illini Union, 1401 W Green St., Urbana// Free// Joey
- 9:00 am - 6:00 pm // 2014 Prairie Lightning Symposium // Illinois Ballroom, I Hotel & Conference Center, Champaign // PUJA
- 3pm-5pm // Faculty Workshop Series "How to Teach Online" Session 1: Designing Your Online Course // llini Hall room 23 // Cate
- 12:00pm // Director's Seminar - Size controlled nanomedicines for cancer therapy and imaging // 1005 Beckman Institute // Cate
- 2:00 pm // EUC Visiting Scholar Lecture: The New History of EU Law: Promises and Challenges // Lucy Ellis Lounge, 1080 Foreign Language Building // MAGGIE
Roshni: What I did realize was how much history I am
unaware of. Even though I did take history in high school for a couple of
years, European history was something I never took a huge interest in unless it
was the Holocaust. I think I never really took the time to try to understand
and learn about it. I think looking back and reflecting on my high school
history courses, I would definitely love to learn how certain decisions and
events in the past have affected how we live today.
- 7:00 pm // Come enjoy a night of musical performances by talented students! // Illini Union Board and Courtyard Café // BRIGITTA (beware, last time no one showed up!)
- 7:00PM // North American Saxophone Alliance Conference: Opening/Concerto Concert // Krannert Center, Foellinger Great Hall // $12-$18 // CORIE
- 7:00 pm // Sex & Gender Film Series | Wonder Women! The Untold Story Of American Superheroines // Women's Resources Center // PUJA
- 7:30pm // VOICE reading series // KAM // SEANO
- 9:00 am - 6:00 pm // 2014 Prairie Lightning Symposium // Illinois Ballroom, I Hotel & Conference Center, Champaign // PUJA
- 3pm-5pm // Faculty Workshop Series "How to Teach Online" Session 1: Designing Your Online Course // llini Hall room 23 // Cate
- 12:00pm // Director's Seminar - Size controlled nanomedicines for cancer therapy and imaging // 1005 Beckman Institute // Cate
- 2:00 pm // EUC Visiting Scholar Lecture: The New History of EU Law: Promises and Challenges // Lucy Ellis Lounge, 1080 Foreign Language Building // MAGGIE
Roshni: What I did realize was how much history I am
unaware of. Even though I did take history in high school for a couple of
years, European history was something I never took a huge interest in unless it
was the Holocaust. I think I never really took the time to try to understand
and learn about it. I think looking back and reflecting on my high school
history courses, I would definitely love to learn how certain decisions and
events in the past have affected how we live today.
Kelly: To be honest, I've always been jealous of people
who can perform, whether it be dancing, acting, or especially singing. I think
it takes something really special to put yourself out there and make people
want to sit down and watch
- 7:00 pm // YMCA: Cosmo Coffee Hours // 1001 South Wright Street // ALEX- 7:00PM // North American Saxophone Alliance Conference: Opening/Concerto Concert // Krannert Center, Foellinger Great Hall // $12-$18 // CORIE
- 7:00 pm // Sex & Gender Film Series | Wonder Women! The Untold Story Of American Superheroines // Women's Resources Center // PUJA
- 7:30pm // VOICE reading series // KAM // SEANO
Friday, March 21
- 12:00 pm // Native American Health & Nutrition // Native American House // BRIGITTA
.JPG)
Puja: I learned that in 1890 the U.S. government decreed
that Native Americans were not allowed to leave their lands to fish, hunt, or
gather. In turn, commodities such as flour, lard, and sugar were distributed in
rations by the government. The access to these “cheaper, nutritionally empty”
foods has apparently affected the overall health and diet of Natives to this
day.
- 7:00 pm // North American Saxophone Alliance Conference: Jazz Concert // Krannert Center, Foellinger Great Hall // MAGGIE
- 7:00pm-8pm // Woodcock watch // Homer // SEANO
Saturday, March 22
- 2:00 pm // Biophysics and Quantitative Biology Seminar: Why are some lakes sicker than others? "Disease ecology, habitat structure and the plankton" // B102 CLSL (Chemical and Life Sciences Laboratory) // KELLY
Cate: She’s been having problems watching what she eats.
She will eat any and all algae she meets but some algae is infected with a
parasite called metaschnikowia bicuspidate. This algae stays and her stomach
and once it has fed off of her as much as it can, it breaks through (killing
her) and eventually finds a new host.
- 7:00pm-8pm // Woodcock watch // Homer // SEANO
- 6:00 pm // CARE for a Taste? // Hendrick House, Urbana // ALEX //FUNDRAISER!!!help the critters!
- 7-10pm// Irish Dancing for St. Patricks// Room 314, Illini Student Union// Free// Joey**
- 7-10pm// Irish Dancing for St. Patricks// Room 314, Illini Student Union// Free// Joey**
Joey: I actually danced! No liquid courage, no friends,
no bass drop. I’ve always thought of myself as a solid dancer at parties, and
after many a Monday and Wednesday night watching my mom watch Dancing With the
Stars, I always told myself that if I wanted to I could do more formal dancing
too. But like I said, that isn’t something anybody would really associate with
me. Well, now I’ve tried it, and I could definitely, definitely see myself
trying again.
Sunday, March 23
- 7:00pm-9pm // Pocket Vinyl // Indi-go // SEANO
- 7:00pm-9pm // Pocket Vinyl // Indi-go // SEANO
mar. 17 // 4:00 pm // Howard K. Birnbaum Memorial Lecture: Why Should Engineering Students Care about Industrial Design? And if They Don't, How to Enlighten Them?
ReplyDelete// Room 100, Materials Science and Engineering Building, 1304 W Green St., Urbana, IL
Abstract:
"Why should engineering students care about Industrial Design? And if they don’t, how to enlighten them?" - Most students of Engineering or of Materials Science are attracted by the mechanistic principles and analytical rigor of their subject. To them the word “Design” means “provision of function in ways that are safe, reliable and affordable”. The language of Industrial Design describing the sensual and emotional character of materials and products carries, for them, little meaning. Yet successful products depend as much on the provision of usability and satisfaction as provision of function. Failure to understand the role and importance of the Industrial Designer is failure to engage fully with the mission of Engineering. Courses in that combine the approaches of Engineering and Industrial Design, informing students about both, exist and are very successful. But most large engineering programs do not take this approach and already have programs so full that inflating them further with new courses is out of the question. So the challenge: how to inform students in large Engineering courses, of the meaning, role and importance of Industrial Design in a single lecture and in a language they can grasp? The talk is an attempt to meet this challenge by providing some insight into the ways in which aesthetics, associations and perceived character contribute to the desirability of products.
http://illinois.edu/calendar/detail/7?eventId=31449263&calMin=201403&cal=20140317&skinId=1
mar. 18 // 2:30 pm // Final Defense - Justin Hepler // 318 Psychology Building
ReplyDeleteThe sequential exposure bias: A preference for approaching pro-attitudinal before counter-attitudinal information that can bias evaluative judgments
http://illinois.edu/calendar/detail/2667?eventId=31720177&calMin=201403&cal=20140318&skinId=6594
This week I attended one of the events I posted called “Final Defense – Justin Hepler”. The event took place in the Psychology Building. I have walked past the Psych Building more times than I can count, but I have never been inside. For this reason I arrived at the building 10 minutes early in case I had trouble finding the correct room. I found the room immediately and by consequence I was the first person to arrive at the event.
DeleteWhen I posted the event, there was not a detailed description, so I had a very small idea of what I was walking into. The event turned out to be a dissertation presentation from graduate student Justin Hepler. The presentation was given in front of the psychology board, 3 graduate students, and myself. I have to admit I felt a little out of place., but Justin assured me that it was open to the public.
Justin Hepler gave his dissertation presentation (which was 70 slides) on studies he had completed. He called it The Sequential Exposure Bias. His research consisted of 8 studies about how people search/look for information. He wanted to figure out when obtaining information about consumer products do people prefer to hear negative information about the product or positive. All the studies were focused on this topic with minor differences.
While he was giving his presentation the board members would stop him and pose questions, or thought they had on how he could improve his research. It made the presentation seem less professional and put me more at ease. I have very little experience with conducting a study, so it was interesting for me to see all the planning and structure it takes to accurately perform one and also to see how other areas of study differentiae from my own.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeletemar. 21 // 12:00 pm // Native American Health & Nutrition // Native American House // BRIGITTA
ReplyDeleteSpeaking are workers from McKinley Health Center
http://illinois.edu/calendar/detail/7?eventId=31717868&calMin=201403&cal=20140310&skinId=1
DeleteThis week I listened to Natalie Masis, a PhD student and assistant at McKinley Health Center, talk about health and nutrition within American Indians in the US. There were not many of us in attendance most likely due to spring break starting, but I wasn’t too bothered by that. It was basically a small group of us within a small room; others observed the talk via the television screen downstairs. In one of my earlier posts, I mentioned how the Native American House was a bit tighter in size than some of the other cultural centers I had been to. I guess I still wonder how much “space” these places take up on campus, in comparison to what they deserve.
Anyways, the majority of the lecture was mainly aimed towards helping students become more health-conscious. It reiterated things that we have all probably heard, such as the importance of maintaining a healthy diet and exercising. It became somewhat more interesting though because of the specific interest in American Indian health and its history. For example, I learned that in 1890 the U.S. government decreed that Native Americans were not allowed to leave their lands to fish, hunt, or gather. In turn, commodities such as flour, lard, and sugar were distributed in rations by the government. The access to these “cheaper, nutritionally empty” foods has apparently affected the overall health and diet of Natives to this day.
Heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and other health concerns are significantly higher for the American Indian/Alaska Native population. A number of reasons contribute to the cause of this, from economic status to geographic isolation. Before, I never thought that there might be much I have in common with this cultural group, except that their collective name—“Indians”—is often used interchangeably with my ethnicity, which is kind of annoying actually. When we let things like that slide, I think we further undermine the status of minorities.
Something kind of cool was when Natalie used the example of “frybread” in her presentation as a common Native American staple. It’s a deep-fried mixture of flour and lard, eaten with jam, meat, or cheese. It reminded me of a fried bread that is made in my own Gujarati culture called “puri.” Even though the point was to show that such items are somewhat unhealthy, I was happy to be reminded of a comfort food that I could relate back to my own experience as an Indian American.
mar. 18 // 3:45 // Astronomy Colloquium: "Using a Billion Dollar Observatory for a Cosmic Scavenger Hunt: The Discovery of an Extreme Molecular Super Star Cluster Precursor with ALMA", Kelsey Johnson, University of Virginia // Astronomy 134 // CHRIS
ReplyDeleteObservationally constraining the physical conditions that give rise to massive star clusters has been a long-standing challenge. Now with the ALMA Observatory coming on-line, we can finally begin to probe the birth environments of massive clusters. Our team's Cycle 0 observations of the Antennae Galaxies reveal the molecular clouds in this prototypical starburst in unprecedented detail. Among the exciting findings is the discovery of the first known example of the molecular precursor to a super star cluster. We identified this proto-cluster as a compact CO(3-2) cloud with an exceptionally large line-width. This CO cloud (which our team began colloquially referring to as the "firecracker") has no associated Paβ or thermal radio emission, indicating that star formation has not yet begun -- this allows us to assess the physical conditions before the onset of star formation.
http://illinois.edu/calendar/detail/500?eventId=30522062&calMin=201403&cal=20140310&skinId=1
Mar. 18 // 4pm // ISE Seminar-Image-guided Evaluation of Musculoskeletal Disorder and Surgery: Bridge Engineering and Clinical Worlds // 303 Transportation Bldg // CHRIS
ReplyDeleteEvidence-based medicine is a widely accepted clinical decision making approach, which seeks to evaluate the strength of evidences of the risks and benefits of different treatment strategies so that the best available evidence gained from scientific research studies can be applied to clinical decision making smoothly. Although this approach has been used in many healthcare specialties, it is not well adopted in the treatment of musculoskeletal injuries, which are the most common healthcare problem in the United States. Many current treatment guidelines lack explicit evidence-based recommendation for treating various musculoskeletal injuries and disorders. Current clinical diagnosis and evaluation methods for most mobility injuries may not be able to detect the injury-induced critical kinematic changes and characterize the consequences after injuries and treatment. There is an urgent need to develop a method enabling accurate acquisition of in vivo joint kinematics in the clinical environment. This presentation demonstrates how an image-guided method integrating medical imaging, optimization, and motion analysis can fulfill such a need and improve musculoskeletal injury and surgery evaluation. An ongoing project aiming to develop a near real-time high-accuracy musculoskeletal system measurement and analysis instrument is also discussed.
http://illinois.edu/calendar/detail/500?eventId=31698528&calMin=201403&cal=20140310&skinId=1
March 19// 4:00 pm // Solo Oud Performance by Essam Rafea // Spurlock Museum, Knight Auditorium // BRiAN
ReplyDeleteSolo Oud Performance by Essam Rafea
Wednesday, March 19, 2014
Winner of the 2010 "Best Composer Award" in Dubai International Film Festival for the film "Matar Ayloul," Rafeais the Chair of the Arabic Music Department at the High Institute of Music in Damascus and the principal conductor of the Syrian National Orchestra for Arabic Music.
Co-founder and Oudist for the contemporary Arabic music group "Hewar," Rafea enjoys cross-cultural projects, among them a recent collaboration between "Gorillaz" and the Syrian National Orchestra. As a visiting artist at Northern Illinois University, Rafea directed the Middle Eastern Music Ensemble and performed with guitar virtuoso Fareed Haque.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8GaxSz8uJPQ (external link)
Presented and co-sponsored by the Spurlock Museum and the Robert E. Brown Center for World Music, this event is partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council Agency.
Location: Knight Auditorium, Spurlock Museum, 600 S. Gregory St., Urbana, IL
Time: 4:00 PM
Cost: Free Admission
For further information, contact Jason Finkelman at (217) 333-9597 or finkelma@illinois.edu
March 19 // 2pm // Lemann Lecture Series: Cold War Politics and the Arts in Brazil: Reappraising Guerra-Peixe's Empirical Research on Northeastern Traditional Music (1950-1952) // Lucy Ellis Lounge. 707 South Mathews Ave, Urbana, IL 61801 // Cate
ReplyDeleteSpeaker- Samuel Araujo, Ethnomusicology, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Tinker Fellow, University of Chicago, and UI alumnus.
http://illinois.edu/calendar/detail/7?eventId=31607999&calMin=201403&cal=20140310&skinId=1
March 20 // 12pm // Director's Seminar - Size controlled nanomedicines for cancer therapy and imaging // 1005 Beckman Institute // Cate
ReplyDeleteSpeaker- Jianjun Cheng – Materials Science & Engineering
http://illinois.edu/calendar/detail/7?eventId=31398391&calMin=201403&cal=20140311&skinId=1
March 20 // 3pm-5pm // Faculty Workshop Series "How to Teach Online" Session 1: Designing Your Online Course // llini Hall room 23 // Cate
ReplyDeleteThe instructor of this workshop is the uncle of a friend I went to high school with. I asked her about it and she said "You should go! He has a really awesome thing going right now... if this particular workshop is for what he was telling me about." Unfortunately I work but I thought I'd let you guys and gals know.
*Registration is required*
Workshop's speaker- Jim Wentworth
"CITL Faculty Workshop Series: How to Teach Online
Please join us in this faculty workshop series as we meet new colleagues and explore best practices for developing your online course. Hands-on activities will allow participants to experiment with new ideas and strategies as they investigate the opportunities and challenges of teaching online.
You will find this program most beneficial if you attend all three workshops in the series and complete some short assignments between sessions. However, each individual workshop will provide you with practical steps that you can immediately implement within your own courses.
Session 1: Designing Your Online Course
Thursday, March 20, 2014
3:00– 5:00 (Refreshments Provided)
Room 23, Illini Hall
Please mark these sessions on your calendar
All Thursdays, 3:00– 5:00 in room 23 Illini Hall
Session 2 (April 3) Teaching Your Online Course
Session 3 (April 17) Making Your Online Course Accessible"
http://illinois.edu/calendar/detail/7?eventId=31630272&calMin=201403&cal=20140311&skinId=1
mar. 17 // 4pm // Spring Break Send Off // courtyard cafe // BRIGITTA
ReplyDeleteCome for free food: Chicken, Teriyaki Skewers, Veggie Sandwiches, Fruit, Lemonade and Punch! Giveaways and crafts include: Straw Hats, Cocktail Parasols, Beach Balls, Hibiscus Clips and Leis!
http://illinois.edu/calendar/detail/7?eventId=31729713&calMin=201403&cal=20140311&skinId=1
Mar. 19 // 3:00 pm - 4:30 pm // Building Effective Student Teams: What, How, and Why // 428 Armory // ANNE
ReplyDeleteWith the increased demand for students to work effectively in teams, many instructors have implemented short-term and semester-long team projects in their courses. There are many benefits derived from this type of cooperative learning strategy if key issues are addressed.
What are some of the considerations for making this a valuable learning experience?
How should teams be created?
What are important skills that students should learn?
What makes a good team assignment?
How do we assess team work?
We'll address these questions and more in this highly interactive workshop. Handouts with sample assessment forms will be provided.
http://illinois.edu/calendar/detail/7?eventId=31452953&calMin=201403&cal=20140311&skinId=1
For my event this week, Maggie and I attended the Building Effective Student Teams lecture in the Armory. Maggie and I were the first ones to walk into this event and the speaker; Cheelan Bo-Linn immediately knew Maggie and I were the two girls who stood out from the rest. She asked us how we found out about this event and she was shocked that we wanted to attend. We got handed packed that were about 30 pages each and I was immediately worried. I felt awkward since she called us out prior to the event even starting. The rest of the crew walked in and most of them were graduate students or teacher’s assistants, we were definitely the youngest people there. This event was about an hour and a half and we went through a PowerPoint with Cheelan Bo-Linn and did some team activities with everyone in the audience. At first I was intimidated and I felt like the speaker kept looking at Maggie and I to contribute more but I was trying as hard as I could to answer the questions that I knew. One event we did in our team was we had 30 seconds to think of and write down cars that had names of animals, this was surprisingly harder than it sounds. Once our time was up she had everyone stand up and she asked those with 2 or less to sit down then three then four then all the sudden I was left standing with 2 others and we were the “winners” I felt pretty good about myself. Overall this event made me feel very uncomfortable but I did learn a lot about what goes on behind the scenes with group/team projects.
DeleteThis week, Anne and I went to a workshop that focused on how to build effective student teams in a classroom. This event took place in Armory. Us two were the only undergrad students in attendance. This workshop is mainly for teachers, TAs, or anyone leading some kind of course. When we arrived to the workshop, the facilitator, Cheelan Bo-Linn, recognized that we seemed very young to be at this event, so she asked how we heard about it. Anne and I informed her of how our class worked, and Cheelan told us that we'd have to participate like everyone else. This event was very interesting, because it made me think about the group projects I have done over the years. Throughout this workshop, Cheelan taught us effective ways to pick groups, facilitate group work, and grade properly and fairly. She also gave us a packet with different information regarding positive group projects. I thought Cheelan was a great speaker and seemed very friendly and outgoing. Any time someone had a question or comment, she never minded stopping the lecture and discussing the question. Overall, I enjoyed this event a lot. Anne and I felt slightly awkward attending it at first, but after the workshop got going, it felt comfortable and engaging. I would definitely recommend this to anyone leading a course that may involve group activities.
DeleteMar 17 // 1:30 pm - 3:30 pm // Live Webcast: A Union's Greatest Challenges: Europe's Future Path toward Economic Growth, Global Competitiveness and Addressing Debt // 507 E. Green St., Room 411, Champaign, IL // ANNE
ReplyDeleteAs part of the Williamsburg-Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS) Forum and in Association with the CSIS Europe Program, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign's European Union Center will participate in a web panel discussion, "A Union's Greatest Challenges: Europe's Future Path toward Economic Growth, Global Competitiveness and Addressing Debt."
As a fragile America emerged from the Revolutionary War in the late 18th Century, a newly formed government had to address the varying degres of indebtedness among the 13 states and balance the extent to which economic and financial authority should rest with the states of with federal institutions. Europe is struggling with similar issues in a 21st Century context. Will Europe follow the Hamiltonian model and move toward more federal forms of banking and fiscal governance, or will European member states resist this federalization? Are there alternative visions that have yet to be explored?
Speakers include:
His Excellency Jan Vincent-Rostowski, Former Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister, Poland (Invited)
Ambassador Robert Hormats, Former Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment, U.S. Department of State (Confirmed)
Mr. David Marsh, Chairman and Co-Founder, Official Monetary and Financial Institutions Forum (OMFIF) (Confirmed)
Mr. Wolfgang Münchau, Associate Editor and European Economic Columnist, Financial Times (Confirmed)
The discussion will be moderated by:
Ms. Heather A. Conley, Director and Senior Fellow, CSIS Europe Program (Confirmed)
http://illinois.edu/calendar/detail/7?eventId=31606583&calMin=201403&cal=20140311&skinId=1
I attended this event this week. This was the only event that worked with my schedule all week so that is the reason I went. It turned out to be way more complicated than I expected it to be. I arrived twenty minutes early to an empty conference room and nobody was there. I waited around thinking that this event was not going to even happen until to people finally showed up who looked like they were in charge. They began by asking me to sign in and asked why I was there because I was not a student who was usually in their classes. I explained the reason why I was there and they thought it was interesting and encouraged me to stay. The man started fussing with the computer trying to get the live webcast and the chat window to show up. Both the man and woman in charge were a part of the European Union and were also teachers at the U of I. They were not sure how this live webcast was going to go and were not sure if the group of us at U of I were supposed to be in the chat and give feedback. The man typed a message into the box and they replied by saying the the start time was delayed two hours. We all sat there deciding what to do and we ended up deciding that the teacher was going to send everyone the link to the live webcast so they could watch it on their own time when it aired. When I got home I booted up the link and it turns out that it was actually running so I watched about forty minutes of it before I had to run to class. The talk was about American history and also Europe's economic growth coming up in the future. The man who gave the hour long address at the beginning was named Professor Gordon S wood. He gave a keynote at the beginning and it summarized American history and his viewpoint to specific events. He talked about meetings in Philadelphia, James Madison and the thirteen original colonies. It was interesting hearing about all of this because I haven't taken an American history class since junior year of high school. A lot of it was a review but a good amount of it was information that went straight over my head while in high school. The Keynote went along for thirty minutes or so before turning on to the European economy. A large part of this convention was a panel that chatted with schools around the country on the matter. It took place at William and Mary College. Overall, it was an interesting experience.
DeleteMar 21 // 7 pm // North American Saxophone Alliance Conference: Jazz Concert // Krannert Center, Foellinger Great Hall // MAGGIE
ReplyDeleteCost: $12-$18
This evening of jazz features the UI Concert Jazz Band with Chip McNeill, Brad Leali, and David Bixler.
http://www.krannertcenter.com/performance.aspx?id=20131213145622465128174106178
Mar 20 // 2 pm // EUC Visiting Scholar Lecture: The New History of EU Law: Promises and Challenges // Lucy Ellis Lounge, 1080 Foreign Language Building // MAGGIE
ReplyDeleteNO COST
SPEAKER BIO: Dr. Bill Davies, an Assistant Professor at American University, is a legal historian, focusing on the transnational nature of legal ideas and systems. His particular field of expertise lies in the law and institutions of the European Union, but he finds equal enjoyment in embedding this supranational project within the longer historical context of Western legal history. He teaches courses such as Western Legal Traditions and Great Trials in Legal History. Born and raised in London in the UK but having spent a number of years in Berlin, Germany, he came to American University in the fall of 2007.
I attended this event for the week. I had little to zero knowledge of the subject matter Dr. Bill Davis, assistant professor at the American University, speaking about. He spoke about the European Court of Justice and European law. The basic idea I got from the lecture was that Germany was a strong supporter of European Law, but when it came to the European court of Justice they were completely against it. Germany was the one to fund the European Union the most. This was after World War 2 where there was a rebirth of Germany into the civilized world. There were a lot of large legal terms being said and many key individuals who were involved in the European Union and Court of Justice, who I was not aware of. I think the scholar believed his audience was well educated on this subject matter, which seemed to be true. I think I was the only one there who was completely lost. I always find it interesting how much I am lacking when it comes to knowledge around history.
DeleteWhat I did realize was how much history I am unaware of. Even though I did take history in high school for a couple of years, European history was something I never took a huge interest in unless it was the Holocaust. I think I never really took the time to try to understand and learn about it. I think looking back and reflecting on my high school history courses, I would definitely love to learn how certain decisions and events in the past have affected how we live today. Whether it is European history or American history, I think everything has had an impact in some way to our lives now. This was an interesting experience because this event made me realize how much I have really grown since high school. In high school I would never think about the world beyond my hometown and school, but now I am more interested in global issues and impact with design. I even joined design for America, which focuses on using human centered design methodologies to help solve social issues such as homelessness, e-waste, and women’s safety in the developing world.
Mar 19 // 4 pm // Solo Oud Performance by Essam Rafea // Spurlock Museum, 600 S. Gregory, Urbana, IL // PUJA
ReplyDeletefree!
Winner of the 2010 “Best Composer Award” in Dubai International Film Festival for the film “Matar Ayloul,” Essam Rafea is the Chair of the Arabic Music Department at High Institute of Music in Damascus and the principal conductor of Syrian National Orchestra for Arabic Music. Co-founder and Oudist for the contemporary Arabic music group “Hewar,” Rafea enjoys cross-cultural projects, which led to a collaboration with “Gorillaz” and the Syrian National Orchestra. As a visiting artist at Northern Illinois University, Rafea directed the Middle Eastern Music Ensemble and performed with guitar virtuoso Fareed Haque. This concert features Taqasim and original compositions.
http://illinois.edu/calendar/detail/2040?eventId=31718631&calMin=201403&cal=20140312&skinId=3926
Mar 20 // 7 pm // Sex & Gender Film Series | Wonder Women! The Untold Story Of American Superheroines // Women's Resources Center // PUJA
ReplyDeletealso free!
Wonder Women! The Untold Story Of American Superheroines traces the fascinating evolution and legacy of Wonder Woman. From the birth of the comic book superheroine in the 1940s to the blockbusters of today, Wonder Women! looks at how popular representations of powerful women often reflect society’s anxieties about women’s liberation.
The Sex + Gender Film Series occurs on Thursdays at the Women's Resources Center in collaboration with the Department of Gender and Women's Studies, National Organization for Women UIUC Chapter, DiversityEd, and Department of Media and Cinema Studies. Free and open to the public- bring your friends! Should you require any accommodations (assistance with food and seating, large print programs, an ASL interpreter, visual/audio assistance, etc.), please contact us at your earliest convenience. Paid for by the Student Cultural Programming Fee.
http://illinois.edu/calendar/detail/2040?eventId=31073037&calMin=201403&cal=20140312&skinId=3926
Mar 21 // 7 pm // North American Saxophone Alliance Conference: Jazz Concert // Krannert Center, Foellinger Great Hall // $12-18 KELLY
ReplyDeleteThis evening of jazz features the UI Concert Jazz Band with Chip McNeill, Brad Leali, and David Bixler.
http://illinois.edu/calendar/detail/500?eventId=31082242&calMin=201403&cal=20140312&skinId=1
Mar 21 // 2 pm // Biophysics and Quantitative Biology Seminar: Why are some lakes sicker than others? "Disease ecology, habitat structure and the plankton" // B102 CLSL (Chemical and Life Sciences Laboratory) // KELLY
ReplyDeleteAs disease outbreaks increase in natural populations, epidemiologists and ecologists continue to search for mechanistic drivers of disease. Parasites harm hosts, virulently depressing their survival and/or fecundity. These effects on individuals can reduce host densities, shape ecological communities, and catalyze evolutionary change through parasite-mediated selection. Within a given host population, disease prevalence can vary substantially through time. Despite recent progress, it remains challenging to understand this variance in epidemic size in space and time. In the last few decades, zooplankton (especially Daphnia) have emerged as a model system for examining the ecological and evolutionary roles of parasites in populations, communities and ecosystems. Our research group integrates epidemiology, rapid evolution and community ecology to understand the distribution and abundance of infectious diseases. In particular, some aspects of habitat seem to enhance the spread of disease whereas others inhibit it. We have identified mechanisms that connect habitat to epidemiology using a case study of disease in plankton. We see a pronounced relationship between the basin shapes of lakes and fungal (Metschnikowia bicuspidata) disease in the zooplankton grazer Daphnia dentifera. Several mechanisms could explain why Daphnia in some lakes are sicker. We can eliminate some hypotheses and find support for others involving food-web players. Furthermore, we identify physical mechanisms (gravity currents, turbulence) that could lead to greater transport of fungal spores to habitat occupied by Daphnia hosts in some lakes in some years. Our results highlight how habitat structure, through its effects on food-web structure and physical processes, can shape wildlife disease.
http://illinois.edu/calendar/detail/500?eventId=30959357&calMin=201403&cal=20140312&skinId=1
Meet Daphnia (see posted picture). She is a one cool micro crustacean. No really, these creatures are pretty neat… for starters they have more genes than humans do and they’re essential to our lakes’ ecosystems.
DeleteShe’s been having problems watching what she eats. She will eat any and all algae she meets but some algae is infected with a parasite called metaschnikowia bicuspidate. This algae stays and her stomach and once it has fed off of her as much as it can, it breaks through (killing her) and eventually finds a new host. This parasite is so manipulative that it can actually change the behavior of an organism and trick it into swimming to places that animals can easily prey on it. This is another way the parasite moves for host to host.
The research that was covered in this lecture had everything to do with Daphnia and why it was getting sicker in some lakes than other. They found that there is a correlation between daphnia sickness and the steepness of the lakes. They found that it was getting sicker much faster in “U” shaped lakes (lakes that change from shallow to deep immediately- drop off) than “V” shaped lakes (lakes that graduated change from shallow to deep- slop downward). Now I might actually know why that is.. however choosing to go to a lecture after all your classes on the Friday before spring break might have not been the most productive choice… because at that point I was nodding (literally my head was totally doing that fall thing) because I was so unbelievably tired. What I did catch is that they are still waiting of more precise numbers and it takes years to get these.. so there data is somewhat still inconclusive.
March 19// 6:00 pm // Less Commonly Taught Languages Program Film Series: "Destiny" // Lucy Ellis Lounge, 1080 Foreign Languages Building // BRiAN
ReplyDeleteLINGUISTICS - Less Commonly Taught Languages Program Film Series: "Destiny"
Date Mar 19, 2014
Time 6:00 pm
Location Lucy Ellis Lounge, 1080 Foreign Languages Building
Cost Free and open to the public.
Sponsor Department of Linguistics, Less Commonly Taught Languages Program
Event type Film Screening
Views 13
Originating Calendar School of Literatures, Cultures and Linguistics Calendar
Destiny (1997) is set in the 12th century in Arab-ruled Spanish province Andalusia, where famed philosopher Averroes is appointed grand judge by the caliph and his liberal court judgements are not liked by everyone. The caliph's political rivals, centered around the leader of a fanatical Islamic sect, force the caliph to send Averroes into exile, but his ideas keep on living thanks to his students.
This comedy-drama was directed by Youssef Chahine, and has a run time of 135 minutes. With English subtitles.
I was the first to walk into the room for this event. There was a woman receiving a huge order of pizza. She introduced herself and asked how I heard of the screening, and I told her about this class. Apparently this was a type of extra credit for the students in Arabic language classes. She had me sign in and told me to grab a slice.
DeleteWe waited for more people to show up, obviously most of them from her class. One man who was much older joined in as well. The movie was in Arabic, apparently a weirder kind of dialect originating in Australia. It had some witty-one liners that I was able to understand through the subtitles.
The film began rather shockingly by a man being burned at the stake for his philosophical beliefs, upon which his son sets out to find the man who taught him. The Caliph is friends with this philosopher and has two sons who seem to disappoint him. One loves dancing and hanging out with gypsies, while the other has feelings for the philosopher's daughter. The dancer soon becomes victim to a religious sect that is bent on ruining his Caliph father and harming the philosopher's ideals that reject their religious beliefs. It was a very dramatic yet humorous film, and I enjoyed it. The scenery was pretty (as the setting was in Egypt) and it had the nostalgic feel of older film effects.
I thought it was also interesting the kinds of people taking the Arabic language class: many seemed to be of descent from countries where it is spoken, but there was also others of varying race. A lot of the girls wore a hijab, including the teacher I had originally spoken with.
I entered to watch this film a bit after Brigitta got there with students that looked to all be in the same class, I'd assume for Arabic, because the film was in a unique Arabic dialect. The free pizza was a huge plus, as I'm sure most broke college students would agree. The film got a bit lighter, as it went on thankfully.
DeleteI had no idea what to expect from this film to be honest. I had intended to go to the "Final Defense" seminar the day before, but a last minute scheduling conflict prevented it. Needless to say, I hadn't really looked that thoroughly into my plan B.
Anyway, the movie was a pretty good surprise. It started pretty intensely with a man being burned at the stake, which made me wonder about what I had gotten myself into. The film starts out being focused more on philosophy. Averroes, a Spanish-Arabic philosopher, is teaching that reason and faith don't have to go hand in hand. This is very controversial in his time and location, and it results in the brutal killing of one of Averroes' disciples that the film opens on.
The film comes to focus on free speech, but also, I think, takes an unfortunate turn when it turns into a story of romance. One of the Caliph's sons gains feelings for Averroes' daughter, which becomes a major plot point. The film doesn't abandon the concept of philosophy, but I wish it had been THE theme, not just one of the themes. Love stories are a dime a dozen. I love a good film to make me think.
Regardless, the film was very interesting, and at times even a bit funny. I am still disappointed that I missed the psychology seminar that I had intended to attend, but I am glad that my replacement event seem to be a quality plan B.
March 18// 2pm// Lemann Lecture Series. Urban History and the Historical Paradigms of Citizenship: A View from Brazil// 101 International Studies Building, 910 S. Fifth Street, Champaign// Free// Joey
ReplyDeleteSpeaker: Brodwyn Fischer, Professor of History, University of Chicago
March 20// 8:30am// North American Materials Education Symposium// Illini Union, 1401 W Green St., Urbana// Free// Joey
ReplyDeletehttp://www.materials-education.com/2014/na/index.htm
"The Materials Education Symposia are a unique opportunity to focus on materials teaching in universities and colleges across the range of disciplines in engineering, science, and design. Join us for two days of talks, discussion, interactive sessions, and plenty of opportunity for networking and informal conversation."
March 20 // 9:00 am - 6:00 pm // 2014 Prairie Lightning Symposium // Illinois Ballroom, I Hotel & Conference Center, Champaign // PUJA
ReplyDeleteForty "lightning" talks and 40 posters showcase the diverse work of the State Scientific Surveys in the areas of water, energy, climate, ecosystems, natural hazards, archaeology, and sustainable technology.
The symposium will also be an opportunity to network, make connections, and discuss ideas in an informal setting.
Drop by for an hour or stay for the day. Free and open to the public.
Talks 9:00AM to 4:00PM | Posters 4:00-5:00PM
Reception 4:00-6:00PM, with music by Irish folk group SMC
www.prairie.illinois.edu/lightning
http://illinois.edu/calendar/detail/7?eventId=31396471&calMin=201403&cal=20140316&skinId=1
March 17 // 6:00PM // Culture Talk: St. Patrick's Day // IEI // CORIE
ReplyDeleteIf you're seeing a lot of green lately, you're not alone! Green is a sign of the arrival of St. Patrick's Day. Come to this Culture Talk to learn some interesting facts about this holiday and other March holidays!
March 20 // 7:00PM // North American Saxophone Alliance Conference: Opening/Concerto Concert // Krannert Center, Foellinger Great Hall // $12-$18 // CORIE
ReplyDeleteThe opening concert of the conference features the UI Wind Symphony, conducted by Linda R. Moorhouse, and the UI Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Donald Schleicher. Joining the ensembles are Clifford Leaman, Timothy Roberts, Eugene Rousseau, Donald Sinta, and Debra Richtmeyer.
March 19 // 5:00 pm // Waasawekameg: A Faraway Place -- a performance piece based on the poetry of Jane Johnston Schoolcraft // Free // LINDSEY
ReplyDeletehttp://illinois.edu/calendar/detail/7?eventId=31735160&calMin=201403&cal=20140316&skinId=1
Inspired by The Sound the Stars Make Rushing through the Sky, by Robert Dale Parker, an edition of the writings of Jane Johnston Schoolcraft (Ojibwe, 1800-1842) with a biography and cultural history.
After the performance, Parker (Professor of English and affiliate in American Indian Studies) will discuss the book and take questions.
March 18 // 11:00am-12:30pm // Videoconference Panel Discussion (with U. of Pittsburgh): English & Scottish Nationalism //
ReplyDelete507 E. Green St., Room 411, Champaign, IL (map) // LINDSEY
Join our panel of experts and audiences from EU Centers across the US to engage in a discussion of the upcoming Scottish referendum on independence from Britain scheduled for September of this year and the possibility of a UK referendum on EU membership that could occur as early as 2016. How likely is Scottish independence? What would be the prospects of an independent Scotland in the European Union? How might the story be complicated by the specter of a British exit (aka "Brexit") from the EU? How likely is a British yes vote on exit and how might such a vote impact the EU going forward? Audience participation is welcomed in what promises to be a spirited discussion!
http://illinois.edu/calendar/detail/7?eventId=30883797&calMin=201403&cal=20140316&skinId=1
March 17th // 12:00 PM // SPO Brown Bag -- Jacinth Tan -- University of Illinois // 819 Psychology// ROSHNI
ReplyDeleteSPO Brown Bag -- Jacinth Tan -- University of Illinois
Speaker Jacinth Tan
Date Mar 17, 2014
Time 12:00 pm
Location 819 Psychology
Sponsor Social Personality Organizational Division
Contact Jesse Preston
E-Mail jlp@illinois.edu
Event type Brown Bag
Views 850
March 21st // 9:30AM // Clinical/Community Brown Bag -- Aron Barbey -- University of Illinois // 819 Psychology // ROSHNI
ReplyDeleteClinical/Community Brown Bag -- Aron Barbey -- University of Illinois
Speaker Aron Barbey -- Beckman Institute; Cognitive Neuroscience
Date Mar 21, 2014
Time 9:30 am
Location 819 Psychology
Sponsor Clinical/Community Division
Contact Edelyn Verona
E-Mail everona@illinois.edu
Event type Brown Bag
Views 101
march 20 // 7 pm // YMCA: Cosmo Coffee Hours // 1001 South Wright Street // ALEX
ReplyDeleteCOSMO COFFEE: Enjoy refreshments with friends, Practice speaking and hearing English or practice other languages at Coffee Hours, Meet people from many fields of study and research, Learn about other cultures. Students-Visiting Scholars-Spouses-Children-Community Residents-English as a 2nd Language-All are Welcome. Learn More: universityymca.org/international/coffee_hours/
this weeks language session focuses on the Hellenic Student Association
march 22 // 6 pm // CARE for a Taste? // Hendrick House, Urbana // ALEX
ReplyDeleteEnjoy a food and wine tasting at the annual fundraiser for the Companion Animal Resource and Education (CARE) Center. Funds raised benefit the Helping Paw Fund that supports veterinary care for pets of people facing financial instability, thereby keeping pet in their homes. Sample locally grown food paired with Napa Valley wines. Bid on a variety of silent auction items, many from local artisans. Reservations required. Visit carecentercu.org for details and registration. Call (217)417-3160 or e-mail info@carecentercu.org with questions.
RESERVATIONS REQUIRED
March 19 // 7pm // monsters & dragons (storytelling) // Institute for Creativity // SEANO
ReplyDeleteThis concert is held in honor of World Storytelling Day by the following tellers of the C-U Storytelling Guild: Dan Keding, Kim Sheahan, Sue Searing, Linda Dust, Kath Brinkmann, and Camille Born. Free admission. Beer and wine will be available for a suggested donation. For more information: Camille Born 217-493-2675.
Time: 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
Location: 111 S. Walnut, Champaign, IL
This week I attended the concert held by the C-U Storytelling Guild at the Institute for Creativity. The institute was a very unique place but very small and relaxing. It was an ideal place for such event as there were only about 20 people that had attended. Most of the crowd was much older than myself with the exception of two or three young kids who had a hard time sitting still.
DeleteAbout the event itself: WOW I was blown away, I had such a great time listening to all of the various speakers recite these different folklore about monsters and dragons. The concert opened up with a short welcome from one of the members of the Guild, Camille Born. She had welcomed everybody for coming out and gave an introduction to World Storytelling day. She had mentioned how this day takes place in many different countries and all of the stories being told are about the same theme, which on this day was "monsters and dragons". After her introduction Camille went on to introduce the first three speakers.
The first speaker to present was a woman by the name of Sue Searing. In my opinion Sue was by far the best storyteller. The story she told was called "the old woman and the tengu." This story was about an old Japanese woman who outwits a monster and gains some gold coins and dongo (sticky rice balls). It was a more humorous then scary story. I really enjoyed the way she switched between character voices and the creepy voice she had made for the tengu.
After Sue another woman by the name of Linda Dust told a story titled King Wyvern. It was Danish folklore translated from Danish. After Linda's story the woman who had originally started the event, Camille Born, also presented a story titled "Li Chi slays the Serpent." Once she had finished her story she called for a 15 min intermission. At this time I was planning on leaving the event. But as I was finishing up my notes I was able to talk to the first storyteller, Sue, and ask her a few questions about her story. Once I had the information I needed we went on to talking about how I had heard about the event and why I was there. We got to talking for quite a while until somebody came up and wanted to speak with her. After speaking to Sue, I started having a conversation with Camille. We spoke about the guild and how often they meet and other various matters. Once speaking to both women I decided to join the mailing list.
I thoroughly enjoyed this event. It was very soothing and relaxing. I found all of the storytellers to be creative and enthusiastic. This is something I would definitely attend in the future.
March 19 // 730pm // Kronos Quartet // KCPA // SEANO
ReplyDeleteThese guys come through town once a year, definitely worth checking out.
Through 40 years of collaboration, 45 recordings, and thousands of international appearances, the Kronos Quartet has become one of the most celebrated string quartets of our time, earning critical acclaim and generations of loyal fans. Its adventurous undertakings, fearless explorations, and eclectic repertoire draw from jazz and the classical realm while including collaborations with celebrated contemporary composers such as Steve Reich, Philip Glass, Aleksandra Vrebalov, Laurie Anderson, and Terry Riley (whose son Gyan joins us for ELLNORA | The Guitar Festival 2013). Krannert Center and partners across the country have commissioned a new Glass composition to laud the quartet’s 40th anniversary; it will form the cornerstone of the evening as we welcome violinists David Harrington and John Sherba, violist Hank Dutt, and cellist Sunny Yang for the group’s 15th Krannert Center appearance.
March 20 // 3pm // Solar system safari // Staerkel Planetarium // SEANO
ReplyDeleteI think this might be more kid oriented. But its at the planetarium so I am obligated to post it
Join us for this School Improvement Day Special! A jungle adventurer uses a magical camera to take visitors on an exciting safari through the Solar System. The Sun, Moon, planets, and dwarf planets come to life, taking on unique personalities and describing their own characteristics and eccentricities. Learn about the planets and the current status of Pluto. Adults are $5; $4 for students, seniors, and kids, all at the door.
March 20 // 730pm // VOICE reading series // KAM // SEANO
ReplyDeleteThursday, March 20 at 7:30 pm Krannert Art Museum will host the VOICE Reading Series which showcases readings by fiction writers and poets from the U of I Creative Writing MFA program.
March 21 // 7-8pm // Woodcock watch // Homer // SEANO
ReplyDeleteTime: 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Location: 2573 S. Homer Lake Rd., Homer, IL
Website: ccfpd.org
Join us in a search for the elusive wood snipe, AKA the American woodcock, as the males perform their amazing courtship display at dusk. A short presentation will be followed by a hike to look for the sky dancers. $2 per person; children 2 and under FREE. Registration required; (217) 896-2455 or cwalsh@ccfpd.org.
March 23 // 7-9pm // Pocket Vinyl // Indi-go // SEANO
ReplyDeletethis sounds fucking interesting
Pocket Vinyl is a melodic mesh between a piano and a painting. It is primarily a story of love. Eric Stevenson and Elizabeth Jancewicz met in 2009 and started dating in early 2010. They went on their first tour in the summer of 2010 showcasing their unique show which includes a man who hits, beats, and slams a piano with his blistered fingers, while a woman creates a brand new painting each night. Every show was different, and each show memorable to those who came. Now hailing from New London, CT, they've played over 275 shows in over 25 states, hand make most of their merch, have created dozens of music videos, road documentaries, and other videos, as well as released 3 EPs and 2 full length albums.
March 22// 7-10pm// Irish Dancing for St. Patricks// Room 314, Illini Student Union// Free// Joey
ReplyDeleteIrish Dancing workshop put on by the Illini Folk Dance Society. All ages welcome. No partners, costumes, or experience required.
I went Irish Dancing this Saturday. I kind of couldn’t believe I was doing it, and I almost still can’t believe it as I write about it. I say that because I have never danced in my life. Well, not organized dancing. I think most people I know would find it pretty uncharacteristic of me to be in a room like that. But, it is something I like to think I could be good at, and as I sat looking at it in the newspaper I thought to myself, “Damnit, this is the point of the class.” So I went to the third floor of the Union, way up there in the boonies, with a faint certainty that there would be nobody there and that the event would have dissipated. But nay. In room 314 were a handful of people, a couple of them donning what looked to be traditional Irish Folk clothing. I was the only male, besides one of the instructors.
ReplyDeleteWe jumped right into it, quickly splitting off into pairs. Mine turned out to be an elderly woman whom I used to ring up each and every day at the grocery store I worked at, commonly referred to as “Scone Lady”. While I could hardly contain myself at the fact that I was finally holding those (surprisingly meaty) hands, which I had dropped change into so many times, I had a job to do. We stood close to each other, face-to-face, and began to learn a series of steps that would eventually comprise a Ceili Dance entitled “The Walls of Limerick”. We held hands and “squared around the house”, “advanced and returned”, and even some ballroom style swings. A later dance we did was entitled “Galway”… something, that’s all I can remember. That one consisted of 5 separate figures, which are analogous to chapters I suppose. Short chapters. Through the course of the night I did learn quite a lot, certainly more than I could successfully put together. I was there for an hour and a half, and they were only halfway done. I kindly thanked Scone Lady for the dance, and told the instructor that I had to go.
Again, now that it’s all said and done, I do feel like I learned something. I could surely piece together some moves to create a makeshift traditional Irish Ceili. And furthermore, I actually danced! No liquid courage, no friends, no bass drop. I’ve always thought of myself as a solid dancer at parties, and after many a Monday and Wednesday night watching my mom watch Dancing With the Stars, I always told myself that if I wanted to I could do more formal dancing too. But like I said, that isn’t something anybody would really associate with me. Well, now I’ve tried it, and I could definitely, definitely see myself trying again. Probably not Irish Folk dancing. But something like ballroom of Latin dancing would be a lot of fun I’m sure. I was pretty comically far out of I comfort and age zone this Saturday, but I’m glad I did it.
( I couldn't find Brigitta's post that listed this event. Perhaps it's the one she deleted? )
ReplyDeleteThis week, I attended the Illini Jukebox Live event. My decision to attend this event hinged on the fact that I designed the promotional posters last month. I work at the Marketing Department of the Union and I thought it'd be interesting to actually attend an event I'd worked on for once. I showed up at 7:00pm and they were still setting up for the event. They seemed to be working out some technical difficulties. Twenty minutes later, a big group of students came in together and sat in the crowd just as the audio problems were worked out. There weren't too many people in the audience when the event started, but they all seemed to be friends and were extremely excited for the show. The event was split into two different sections: the live performances and karaoke. I'm not quite sure how they chose the performers, if they signed up or just showed up, but all of the singers I saw were incredibly talented.
To be honest, I've always been jealous of people who can perform, whether it be dancing, acting, or especially singing. I think it takes something really special to put yourself out there and make people want to sit down and watch. Also, it was really great to see students making an effort to showcase their talents. School and work obligations can so easily take over a student's time, but it's important to take these opportunities when possible. It was clear the performers were very passionate while singing and I was thoroughly entertained. Overall, the event was really great. I wish I had the talent and/or bravery to participate one day!