Message from Dean Howard

STEMapalooza

On October 16-17 thousands of grade school, middle school, and high school students will descend on the Colorado Convention Center for the second annual STEMAPalooza, sponsored by UC Denver’s Center for Applied Science and Mathematics for Innovation and Competitiveness (CASMIC).   The students attending the event will have the opportunity to visit the booths of more than 150 exhibitors ranging from university departments to employers that hire people with training in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) disciplines.  In addition to speaking with exhibitors and viewing interactive displays, students will be able to engage in a variety of other activities, including: fast-track racing, robotics, gaming, and film production.  The overall aim is to help students and their parents understand the educational pathways to careers in STEM-related areas, as well as the nature of those careers. 

I strongly encourage all departments in CLAS, including those in the Humanities and Social Sciences, to participate in STEMAPALOOZA, even if only at a modest level.  I also encourage you to hurry—the deadline for registration is October 2.  All booth fees will be paid for by Integrated University Communications (IUC).  When you register, select the option to “pay by check” and IUC will provide payment.  If you have already paid, please contact Katy Brown for information on being reimbursed by the IUC office.  IUC will also provide UC Denver signage for each booth.

If departments lack the human resources to staff a booth over the course of the two-day event, but would still like to participate, contact Katy Brown in the Dean’s Office.  Katy is setting up a CLAS booth and would be happy to distribute information about your department and its activities to prospective students.  Katy is especially interested in setting up some interactive displays that highlight the college and its departments.  If you have developed anything of this sort, please let her know.

Engagement events that truly capture the public imagination are rare.  STEMAPALOOZA is such an event and one that is deserving of strong support from CLAS and its departments.

On a different note, the first CLAS Master’s Lecture was given by Emeritus Professor of English Rex Burns on Friday September 24, and it was a memorable presentation.  The next lecture will be presented in Tivoli 320A on October 30 by Emeritus Professor of Economics Suzanne Helburn.  The title of the talk is, “The Economy, Simple Lessons on Avoiding Such Catastrophes and How We Have Failed.”  Reservations are not necessary; I hope to see you there.

Another event to mark in your calendar is the Outstanding Faculty Achievement Award lecture, which will be given by Associate Dean and Professor of Anthropology Tammy Stone on Friday, October 9 at 1:30 PM in Tivoli 320A.  Dr. Stone is the 2009 recipient of the Outstanding Faculty Achievement Award in CLAS.  The award recognizes distinguished achievements in research, teaching, and service and brings with it a $5,000 stipend each year for three years.  The title of Dr. Stone’s talk is, “Community Dynamics: a Comparison of Ancient Communities and Modern Universities.”

With all best wishes,

Dan

New! Report on Assessment of Learning Goals for Classes in the CLAS Graduation Requirements

The rubrics used to assess learning goals for classes in the CLAS graduation requirements were tested over the summer. You can read a report of this test here. Please send comments or questions about the report to Tammy Stone.  The full range of classes in the CLAS graduation requirements are being assessed this fall.

New! 2009-10 Dissemination Grants

The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS) is providing support to its faculty for engaging in activities that promote their research activities and enhance the profile of the college and university.  The CLAS Dissemination Grant program is designed to provide tenure-track and tenured faculty with funds for disseminating research via publication (page and other publication charges), travel to support presentations at professional meetings, website design related to communication of research results, or other scholarly dissemination venues.  Applications will be due 11/06/09 to Associate Dean Laura Argys. Obtain application here.

New! Experiential Open House

On October 22, the Disability Resources office will host an open house where visitors can try out assisitive technology, interpreting services, and learn about accommodations. It will be from 10am - 2pm in the North Classroom, #2514. More information available here.

New! "Ecocide, Peak Oil and Deep Ecology"

Frederic Bender, Lecturer of Philosophy

Monday, Oct 5
2:30 - 4:00 pm
UC Denver Executive MBA Auditorium, Suite 150
CU BUilding, 1250 14th Street

Sponsored by the Department of Philosophy and the Sustainability Faculty Seminar Series

Abstract:
I’ll spend approximately ten minutes on each of three topics.  The first of these is to update the audience on the processes leading to ecocide (the destruction major ecosystems, many of which are vital for the continuance of human life as we know it). Second, I’ll examine the evidence for the imminence of Peak Oil, the irreversible maximization of global production of cheap petroleum, which either has already occurred or will occur before 2012 or thereabouts.  I will discuss peak oil’s important implications for the future of industrial civilization.  Third, in response to ecocide and peak oil, I’ll argue that an approach based in deep ecology philosophy offers perhaps the greatest promise for human adaptation, on the levels of individual behavior, values and lifestyle, and socioeconomic institutions.

View more information here.

New! CLAS Educational Policies and Curriculum Committee Updates (EPCC)

The Fall 2009 meeting dates for the CLAS Educational Policies and Curriculum Committee (EPCC) are:October 16, November 20, and December 18 (tentative – may not meet). Policies/procedures, general information, and forms for course and curriculum development can be found here.

EPPC Fall 09 Submission Deadlines:

1. Proposals for New Degree Programs or New or Revised Minors, Certificates or Options within Majors should normally be submitted electronically to Jill Hutchison in the Dean’s Office at least 14 days prior to the scheduled EPCC meetings for consideration. Future deadlines are October 2, November 6, and December 4.

2. All Course Proposals should be submitted electronically to Beverly Andes in the Dean’s Office at least 7 days prior to the scheduled EPCC meetings for consideration – by October 9, November 13, or December 11.

Our Catalog edit deadline dates have been moved up to mid-November, so any changes you’d like to see reflected in the 2010-2011 Catalog will need to be submitted to the EPCC using the October deadlines.

New! Distinguished Speaker, Robert Glennon

November 19

Dr. Robert Glennon of the University of Arizona Law School will give a talk on November 19 at 7pm in the Tivoli Turnhalle about his new book, Unquenchable: America's Water Problem and What to do about it.

Glennon’s best-known publication is Water Follies: Groundwater Pumping and the Fate of America’s Fresh Waters (Island Press, 2002), which received accolades from Scientific American, The Washington Post, and The New York Review of Books.

Since his new book was published in April 2009, he has been a guest on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, The Diane Rehm Show, C-SPAN2’s Book TV, and National Public Radio shows in New York City, Chicago and Phoenix; he’s also published pieces in the Washington Post and the Arizona Republic.  In 2009, his active speaking schedule will take him to Saudi Arabia, Switzerland, Canada, and 17 U.S. states.

Glennon received a J.D. from Boston College Law School and an M.A. and Ph.D. in American History from Brandeis University. He is also a member of the bars of Arizona and Massachusetts. He is the Morris K. Udall Professor of Law and Public Policy in the Rogers College of Law at the University of Arizona.  A recipient of two National Science Foundation grants, he serves as Water Policy Advisor to Pima County, Arizona; as a member of American Rivers’ Science and Technical Advisory Committee; and as a commentator and analyst for various television and radio programs.  He is also a Huffington Post blogger.

If any departments have scholars who are interested in meeting with Dr. Glennon directly, please contact Gregory DeAngelo in the Department of Economics.

New! Digital Story Workshop

October 22-24

There is a lot you could do to reduce health disparities among Latinos in Colorado. The key is developing video production skills to tell your stories.

FREE VIDEO MAKING WORKSHOP FOR HEALTH WORKERS

9am-5pm, October 22-24, 2009 at Denver Open Media

Organized by Marty Otañez, Assistant Professor, Anthropology Department, University of Colorado, Denver

View more informaiton here.

Please register early; enrollment limited to ten participants.

For more information, contact: Marty Otañez, marty.otanez@ucdenver.edu, 303 556 6606

New! Communication Department's Alumni Newsletter

InterAction

The Department of Communication has published its Fall 2009 issue of their alumni newsletter, InterAction. Take a look here.

New! Outstanding Faculty Achievement Award Talk

Please join the college for a talk by Dr. Tammy Stone who is the 2009 winner of the Outstanding Faculty Achievement Award.  This lecture will highlight her research and is titled, “Community Dynamics: a Comparison of Ancient Communities and Modern Universities.”

Friday, October 9, 2009
Tivoli 320 A, Baerresen Ballroom

1:30 pm: Reception
2:00 pm: Lecture/Discussion

Please share and post this flyer and invite students to attend, as well.  This lecture is free and open to the public.

The Outstanding Faculty Achievement Award recognizes and rewards truly exceptional contributions in teaching, research and service by a tenured faculty member in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.  Granted to one recipient a year, each earns a $5,000 research stipend per year for three years. 

Early Alert Timeline for Fall

Providing intervention assistance to students early in the semester is very important to enhance undergraduate student persistence and graduation rates.  The faculty role in this effort is to identify students who may need assistance.

10/2/09: Deadline for advisors to have completed initial contact with  all referred students (e-mail)

10/2/09: DTI & TRIO-SSS send out their email to referred students

12/12/09: Early Alert system closed for the fall 2009 semester

* No alerts can be entered by faculty using the EA System after 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, September 23 at 5:00 p.m.

Please contact the Office of Undergraduate Experiences at 303-315-2133 if you have questions.

CLAS in the Spotlight

Associate Dean Brenda J. Allen was a visiting scholar at the University of Wisconsin - Madison's Office of Equity and Diversity, where she facilitated an assessment project and presented a workshop on communicating social identity for their SEED (Seeking Educational Equity and Diversity) programs (September 20-26).  

The UC Denver Chapter of the Student Affiliates of the American Chemical Society (locally we refer to this group as the Chem Club) was awarded an Outstanding Chapter award for 2008-2009.  They also were recognized with the Green Chemistry Award in recognition of their environmentally aware activities.

Integrative Biology Chair Leo P. Bruederle attended the annual meeting of the Botanical Society of America in Snowbird, Utah, where he presented his sabbatical research conducted while a visiting scientist at the Canadian Museum of Nature.  This research addresses the application of previously published micro-satellite primers to population and evolution genetic questions within the genus Carex, one of the largest genera of flowering plants worldwide.  Dissemination was supported through funding from the Center for Faculty Development and the Department of Integrative Biology.

The Wright Stuff
Westword, September 28, 2009
The Westword highlighted the Colorado Center for Public Humanities event, “Transcultural Imagination: Frank Lloyd Wright in Baghdad,” as a preview. The event was the second talk in the Islam in American Culture series.

Greg Cronin, associate professor of integrative biology, accepted an invitation to serve on the Board of Directors for Bands for Lands, a Colorado non-profit dedicated to promoting sustainability and conservation through the arts.  Bands for Lands produced the sustainability music festival called endOtrend being held this Saturday, Oct. 3.  The festival will include educational demonstrations, art, and musical performances by 30 bands, including Greg’s band Mute Man’s Microphone.  There is more information at BandsforLands.org, enoOtrend.com, and mutemansmicrophone.com.

Professor of Communication Sonja Foss conducted a four-day writing retreat for faculty members working on publications in the health disparities area at California State University--San Bernardino on September 15-18, 2009.  This coming Thursday (October 1, 2009), she will be presenting a workshop, "Completing the Dissertation," to graduate students at Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Denver Post, 9/17

On September 22, Assistant Professor of Integrative Biology Lisa Johansen gave the keynote address to over 40 Boulder Valley District (BVDS) high school students and their parents at the Science Research Seminar kickoff event.  Approximately 70 BVDS students will participate in year-long science research projects.  The students work with mentors, primarily from universities, and undertake independent research projects.  The students will present their research at the District Science Fair in February and give talks on their research projects at the BVDS Science Symposium in April.  Dr. Johansen has been involved in high school science outreach since coming to UCD in 2004.  She is a partner on a grant from Virginia Tech which funds high school research on plants through the Partnership for Research and Education in Plants (PREP).  Some of the research done in the high schools has contributed to Dr. Johansen’s research program at UCD by identifying new stress-related phenotypes in Arabidopsis thaliana.

Department of Communication Instructor and Online Coordinator Kathy Pounders received the highest reviews in best practices for online courses by eCollege.

Assistant Professor of Integrative Biology Michael Wunder recently published work titled, "Geographic Variation of Strontium and Hydrogen Isotopes in Avian Tissue: Implications for Tracking Migration and Dispersal" in the journal PLoS ONE. The collaborative work demonstrates how natural abundances of hydrogen and strontium isotopes found in the feathers of migratory tree swallows are related to geography in North America and how these relations can be used in a wildlife forensics context to infer seasonal migratory patterns for the global population of tree swallows.

Assistant Professor of Philosophy Gabriel Zamosc recently came back from a conference in Oxford, England, where he presented a paper entitled, "Nietzsche’s Ideal of Autonomy: on the Connection between Sovereignty and Guilt." The conference was the 17th International Conference of the Friedrich Nietzsche Society of Great Britain and Ireland, and it took place September 11-13.

Events

5th Annual Undergraduate Symposium
Friday, Oct. 2
8:00 am - 2:30 pm
St. Cajetan's
Registration

Economics Fall Seminar Series
Peter Kuhn, University of California Santa Barbara
Friday, Oct. 2
3:30 pm
Title: "Employers' Preferences for Gender, Age, Height and Beauty: Evidence from Chinese Job Ads"
Lawrence Street Center, Room 450

Philosophy Fall Lecture Series
Frederic Bender
Monday, Oct. 5
2:30 - 4:00 pm
Title: "Ecocide, Peak Oil and Deep Ecology"
Executive MBA Auditorium, Suite 150
CU Building

Copper Nickel 12 Release Event
Reading by Kate Greenstreet
Tuesday, Oct. 6
7:00 pm
NC 1535

STEMapalooza
Friday, Oct. 16 - Saturday, Oct. 17
Colorado Convention Center
(More Information)

Islam in American Culture: Journey into America
(a documentary film)by the Colorado Center for Public Humanities
Thurs, Oct. 15
11:30 - 1:30 pm
Starz Film Center
with Jonathan Hayden and Frankie Martin, Ibn Khaldun - Research Fellows in American University's School of International Service
(More information)

Philosophy Fall Lecture Series
Mitzi Lee, Associate Professor, CU Boulder
Wednesday, Oct. 21
2:30 - 4:00 pm
Title: "Justice and the Law in Aristotle's Moral Theory "
Honi Haber Library, Plaza Bldg M108A

UC Denver Open House
Sunday, Oct. 25
11:30 am - 2:30 pm
Auraria Events Center

CLAS Masters Speaker Series
Professor Emeritus of Economics, Suzanne Helburn
"The Economy, Simple Lessons on Avoiding Such Catastrophes and How We Have Failed"
Friday, Oct. 30
2:30-4:30 pm
Baerresen Ballroom, Tivoli 320A
RSVP to Katy Brown by Oct. 23

Economics Fall Seminar Series
Hani Mansour, University of Colorado Denver
Friday, Oct. 30
3:30 pm
Title: TBA
Lawrence Street Center, Room 450

Islam in American Culture: Islam and the Contemporary Novel
by the Colorado Center for Public Humanities
Tuesday, Nov. 3
6:00 - 7:30 pm
Tivoli Turnhalle
with Laleh Khadivi, the award-winning author of the novel, The Age of Orphans(Bloomsbury, 2009)
(More information)

Philosophy Fall Lecture Series
Candice Shelby, Associate Professor at UC Denver
Wednesday, Nov. 18
2:30 - 4:00 pm
Title: "Shifting Conceptual Spaces "
Honi Haber Library, Plaza Bldg M108A

Robert Glennon
Unquenchable: America's Water Problem and What to do about it
Thursday, Nov. 19
7:00 pm
Tivoli Turnhalle
Contact Gregory DeAngelo for more information

IN THIS ISSUE:

Message from Dean Howard

Graduation Requirements Assessment Report

Dissemination Grants

Experiential Open House

Ecocide, Peak Oil and Deep Ecology Talk

EPCC Updates

Robert Glennon, Water Conservation Talk

Digital Story Workshop

InterAction Newsletter

Outstanding Faculty Achievement Award Talk

Early Alert Timeline

CLAS in the Spotlight

Events

ARCHIVES:

Past issues since Jan 21, 2007.

USEFUL LINKS:

CLAS News

Faculty Resources

Staff Resources

Campus News

The CLAS Deans' Notes is a bi-weekly newsletter
for college faculty and staff.

EDITOR:

Katy Brown
303.556.6663
Katy.Brown @ucdenver.edu