News Release Archive

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa -- Darcie Davis-Gage, associate professor of counseling in the School of Applied Human Sciences at the University of Northern Iowa, will present "Women and Group Counseling: A Unique Connection," at noon, Monday, Dec. 5, as part of the Current Research on Women and Gender (CROW) Forum. The forum will be held at the Center for Multicultural Education, 109A Maucker Union.

Davis-Gage will discuss how women have been involved in both formal and informal groups for many years. There are numerous applications for groups and the possibilities are seemingly endless. This lecture will include a discussion about a qualitative research study that explored participants' experience in women-only group counseling. Guests will gain insight into what women experience in group counseling, how they make meaning of this experience and the benefits they have gained from their experience.

The event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Barbara Cutter, director of the Women's and Gender Studies Program, at 319-273-5909 or barbara.cutter@uni.edu.

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa -- Congresswoman Michele Bachmann will kick off a series of presidential candidate education forums at 1 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 30, in Bengtson Auditorium in Russell Hall at the University of Northern Iowa. UNI and Iowa Public Radio (IPR) will host presidential candidates this fall to share their views on education as part of UNI's Presidential Candidate Education Forums "Addressing the Challenges and Opportunities in Education Today." The forums are free and open to the public. Guests can park in the Gallagher-Bluedorn Performing Arts Center Visitor's lot.

The forum, moderated by Ben Kieffer, host of IPR's "The Exchange" talk show, will focus on policy initiatives related to education reform and broader implications for global competitiveness. The forum will include a 30-minute address from Bachmann regarding her education platform, followed by a series of education-related questions from the audience. IPR will also broadcast the forum at 2 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 1.

"Education has long been a prized value of Iowans, and UNI plays an important role in preparing Iowa's teachers," said Benjamin Allen, UNI president. "We're pleased to host presidential candidates and to help elevate education reform issues facing Iowa and America in an ever-increasing competitive global economy." 

Elected in 2006, Bachmann is the first Republican woman to be elected to the U.S. House of Representatives from Minnesota. Prior to serving in the U.S. Congress, Bachmann was elected to the Minnesota State Senate in 2000 where she championed the Taxpayers Bill of Rights. Before that, she spent five years as a federal tax litigation attorney, working on hundreds of civil and criminal cases. Bachmann sits on the Financial Services Committee (FSC) and the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. She received her J.D. at the O.W. Coburn School of Law at Oral Roberts University and an L.L.M. in Tax Law at the College of William and Mary.  She is married with five children and has opened her home to 23 foster children, which has inspired her to become one of Congress' leading advocates for foster and adopted children, earning her bipartisan praise for her efforts.

IPR manages station operations for WOI AM and FM, licensed to Iowa State University; WSUI-AM and KSUI-FM, licensed to The University of Iowa; and KUNI-FM and KHKE-FM, licensed to University of Northern Iowa. IPR informs, enriches and engages Iowans through radio programming and other media. IPR enhances civic and cultural connections across the state, strengthening communities and reflecting Iowa's sense of place. More than 200,000 listeners tune in weekly.

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa -- Catherine Zeman, University of Northern Iowa associate professor in health, physical education and leisure services, will present a lecture on antidepressants, from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m., Saturday, Dec. 3, at University Book and Supply, 1009 West 23 Street, Cedar Falls.

Zeman will discuss reasons why health professionals have been challenging the overuse of antidepressants and other biopsychiatric drugs, including the myth that antidepressants correct imbalances of neurotransmitters in the brain. She will also discuss issues regarding drug side effects.

This event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Zeman at 319-273-7090 or catherine.zeman@uni.edu.

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa -- The University of Northern Iowa Center for Teaching and Learning Mathematics (CTLM) is supporting elementary math teachers by offering "Making Sense Professional Development" courses. These high quality, research-based courses are intended to improve teacher practice in order to enhance student learning.

To create these classes, a team of course developers from across Iowa collaborated to discuss the many factors that create a quality education. All courses are aligned with the Iowa Core, Common Core State Standards and Iowa Professional Development Model. The CTLM also provides training for principals to ensure support of teachers working to improve mathematical instruction.

Through these courses, teachers develop a deeper understanding of mathematics, increase knowledge for teaching, implement practices based on the current standards for mathematical practice and improve their own means of instruction. As a result, students also develop a deeper understanding of mathematics and improve their own level of achievement.

To register for any of these courses, visit www.uni.edu/ctlm. For additional information, contact Melissa Reade, assistant director of communications and operations at the CTLM, at 319-273-3820 or melissa.reade@uni.edu.

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa -- The University of Northern Iowa Association of Technology, Management and Applied Engineering (ATMAE) student chapter robotics team recently won the ATMAE 2011 Student Robotics Competition in Cleveland, Ohio.

The goal of the competition is to retrieve color ping-pong balls placed on a table, sort them based on colors and deliver them to designated destinations on the table within five minutes. The robot with the greatest amount of ping-pong balls sorted by like color and in the designated areas in the shortest time wins. UNI, with its robot, Panther-Collect Analyze Transfer (P-CAT), placed first in overall score, as well as best poster design. The team won $800, robot kits, software for team members and three days worth of robotics training.

A total of eight teams participated in the competition this year, including East Carolina State University, Iowa State University, Jacksonville University, Mississippi State University, Morehead State University, Morrisville University and Sam Houston University. UNI robotics team members included Jeremy Ganfield, Cedar Falls, Iowa; Rick Ruport, Denver, Iowa; Peter Dekluyver, Ottumwa, Iowa; Jeff Rick, Waverly, Iowa; Mattew Wason, Humboldt, Iowa; Rodney Jones, Detroit, Mich.; and Sean Quarles, Fairfield, Iowa. The team advisor is Jin Zhu, assistant professor in industrial technology.

For more information, contact Zhu at 319-273-2597 or jin.zhu@uni.edu.

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – Grant opportunities are available through the Farm Energy Working Group of the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, facilitated by the University of Northern Iowa Center for Energy & Environmental Education (CEEE) and the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT). Farmers with small to mid-sized operations may apply for demonstration grants related to three focus areas: the Farm Service Agency's cold storage facilities program; increased farm energy efficiency in lighting/ventilation; or solar hot water (SHW) heaters in combination with several Rural Electric Cooperative's SHW rebate programs.

"Farmers are incredibly innovative and we want to help them reduce their need for fossil fuel use on their farms," said Carole Yates, program manager for UNI's Center for Energy & Environmental Education. "This is our fourth round of grants and the results are helping farmers across Iowa rely on energy efficiency and renewable energy instead of fossil fuel."

Grants are awarded up to $2,000 to pay for the farmer's time for installation, administration and report writing. The grants cannot cover any equipment purchases. No matching dollars are required. 

Application deadline is Nov. 30, 2011.  The application is at www.ceee.uni.edu/farmenergy.aspx along with a sample application.

For more information, contact Yates at 319-273-7599 or carole.yates@uni.edu.

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa -- The John Pappajohn Iowa Business Plan Competition came to a close today with the announcement of the winners at a special recognition luncheon at Drake University in Des Moines.

• VSI Aerospace received first place and $25,000. The company combines software and air pressure sensors to alert pilots of trajectory changes, enhancing safety and fuel savings. It was founded in 2008 and is based in Ames.

      Contact: Jerald Vogel

      515-292-3578

      vsiaero@gmail.com

      www.vsiaerospace.com

• M&S Flowmatics came in second place and received $15,000. M&S FlowMatics has developed a unique flow meter for real-time measurement of granular materials though a pipe, such as gravel, grain, sugar or sand. The company was formed in 2009 and is located in Ames.

      Contact: Manjit Misra

      515-290-5292

      mkmisra@iastate.edu

• Radiology Protocols received third place and $10,000. This company has developed an online medical imaging process to make radiologic imaging efficient and accurate, thus lowering imaging costs. The company was founded in 2008 and is based in Iowa City.

      Contact:  Steve Baker

      319-430-4300

      sbakerr@radiologyprotocols.com

      www.RadiologyProtocols.com

"Special thanks goes to John Pappajohn, who, through his unwavering commitment to foster entrepreneurship in Iowa, has again sponsored this business plan competition and has provided extensive support for entrepreneurship in Iowa," said Randy Pilkington, director of the John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center at the University of Northern Iowa.

Details for next year's competition will be announced in February. For additional information about the competition, visit www.iowabusinessplancompetition.com or contact one of the JPEC centers via the contact information below.

Drake University John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center

Debra Bishop

515-271-3818

deb.bishop@drake.edu

Iowa State University John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center

Judi Eyles

515-296-8283

eyles@iastate.edu

North Iowa Area Community College John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center

Jamie Zanios

641-422-4111

zaniojam@niacc.edu

University of Iowa John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center

David Hensley

319-335-3999

david-hensley@uiowa.edu

University of Northern Iowa John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center

Randy Pilkington

319-273-5732

randy.pilkington@uni.edu

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – The University of Northern Iowa will host U.S. Ambassador Ronald McMullen on Tuesday, Nov. 29, on the UNI campus.

McMullen will be meeting with students and faculty throughout the day, and he will present his lecture "America's Foreign Policy Challenges: Where do You Cross the Line?" from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., in 109 Curris Business Building. The lecture will be followed by a question and answer session.

McMullen, who is currently a diplomat-in-residence at the University of Texas at Austin, recently served as the U.S. Ambassador to the State of Eritrea. He has more than 29 years of diplomatic experience in more than 90 countries, has authored many scholarly works and is a three-time recipient of the State Department's Superior Honor Award. A native of Northwood, Iowa, he earned his doctorate in political science from the University of Iowa.

The event, free and open to the public, is sponsored by UNI International Programs, UNI Center for International Peace and Security Studies and UNI Department of Political Science. For more information, contact Nadia Korobova, assistant director, UNI International Programs, at 319-273-7424 or nadia.korobova@uni.edu

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa -- The University of Northern Iowa will show the film "The Vanishing of the Bees," at 7 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 30, in the Center for Energy and Environmental Education (CEEE) auditorium on the UNI campus.

The film explores the reasons why honeybees have been mysteriously disappearing from the planet. This phenomena, known as Colony Collapse Disorder, has left scientists puzzled. Organic beekeepers and researchers have come up with alternative reasons for the loss of bees and have found no definite answer. There will be a panel discussion following the showing. Panel members will include Andrew Joseph, Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship state apiarist; Carl Thurman, UNI Biology Department; Manley Bigalk, Golden Ridge Honey; and Robert Fassbinder, Fassbinder Apiary.

The event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Jenny Bruss, program and community outreach coordinator at the Recycling and Reuse Technology Transfer Center, at 319-273-3689 or jennifer.bruss@uni.edu.

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – The Tallgrass Prairie Center at the University of Northern Iowa has received funding from the Iowa Power Fund for Stage II of their Prairie Power Project, which involves completing development of a mixture of prairie seeds for energy production on marginal Iowa farmland.

The third year of research of the Prairie Power Project Part I, Determining Maximum Sustainable Production of Biomass with a Mixture of Prairie Species, is currently being completed. In 2008 Daryl Smith, director of UNI's Tallgrass Prairie Center, and his team were granted money from the Iowa Power Fund to verify recent research findings indicating that greater numbers of species in a prairie seed mix result in increased biomass production. Biomass is the amount of vegetation produced during one year's growth of prairie plants that can be burned to generate electricity. The greater the amount of biomass, the more electricity that can be produced.

"The burning of biomass as a partial replacement for coal in electrical generation will help reduce air pollution," Smith said. "Using prairie biomass as an alternative energy source to coal will reduce our dependence on out-of-state purchases.  Also, planting prairie on marginal, highly erodible farmland will reduce soil erosion and flooding and provide more habitat for wildlife."

The goal of using prairie biomass as an alternative crop is to increase renewable energy sources, help improve air quality, reduce soil erosion and flooding, and provide habitat for wildlife. For more information about this project visit www.tallgrassprairiecenter.org

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa -- The University of Northern Iowa's GeoTREE Center received a research grant from Iowa Water Center to accurately estimate various pollutants in urban watersheds using geospatial technologies and techniques.   

The UNI GeoTREE Center is working with several community organizations and industry partner PV & Associates to develop a Source Loading and Management Model (SLAMM) that will help report overall water quality in urban areas. “One of the major benefits of this project is the integration of Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and WinSLAMM model to create a report for people who don't have a technical background so they can understand,” said Ramanathan Sugumaran, Director of GeoTREE Center. This allows community members to read the tests performed in their own backyard.

"There are two major benefits from this endeavor: increasing the level of accuracy of an already highly accurate modeling tool means something good just got better," said Rebecca Kauten, senior research associate in health, physical education and leisure services at UNI. "In addition, displaying this information geospatially makes the information more accessible to the rest of us, which is important as we decide how we want our communities to look and feel today and in the future."

For more information about the UNI GeoTREE Center, visit www.geotree.uni.edu. For information about WinSLAMM, visit www.winslamm.com.

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – The University of Northern Iowa's College of Education is offering a Hot Topics in Education webinar at 4 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 17. Stephanie Logan, assistant professor of curriculum and instruction at UNI, will present "A Framework for Culturally Responsive Teaching."

This webinar will introduce participants to the theory of culturally responsive teaching. Participants will also explore elements for creating a culturally responsive classroom -- including the power of caring, cooperation, competition, classroom discipline, culture and communication and connecting home and school.

This seminar is free and open to all educators For more information about these free webinars and to register, visit www.uni.edu/coe/webinars.

Hot Topics in Education is sponsored by the UNI College of Education. These free webinars taught by faculty and staff are offered once a month through April on a variety of national hot topics in education.

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa -- The University of Northern Iowa's College of Humanities and Fine Arts Senate has named Paul Siddens the recipient of the 2011 Faculty Excellence Award. This was awarded prior to the merger of the College of Humanities and Fine Arts and the College of Natural Sciences, which is now the College of Humanities, Arts and Sciences.

Siddens is an associate professor of communication studies at UNI, and will present "From Funny Books to Graphic Novels: Teaching and Researching Comics," at 7 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 15, in the Interpreter's Theatre, 040 Lang Hall. The presentation is free and open to the public, and will be followed by a reception.

"Historically, comic books and graphic novels have been considered low-brow reading material for young people with little or no substance or depth," Sidden notes. "However, it's actually possible to discover many things about who we are historically, culturally, socially and artistically through comic books and graphic novels."

For additional information, contact Sarah Pauls, marketing and promotions coordinator in the College of Humanities, Arts and Sciences, at 319-273-2725 or sarah.pauls@uni.edu.

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa -- The University of Northern Iowa's Center for Energy and Environmental Education (CEEE) and the Northern Iowa Food and Farm Partnership (NIFFP) will host its annual harvest dinner at 6 p.m., Monday, Nov. 21, in the UNI Common's Slife Ballroom. NIFFP is a program of the CEEE.

Following the dinner, Brenda Ranum, project coordinator for the Northeast Iowa Food and Fitness Initiative, will discuss her work. The food initiative is one of nine projects supported nationwide by the W.K. Kellog Foundation Food & Community Program, which strives to improve school food systems, increase access to good food and physical activity environments, and fuels the national healthy living movement. Cost for the three-course, locally grown meal is $13 per person, payable in advance.

For reservations or any additional information, contact Andrea Geary, local food program manager at the CEEE, at 319-273-7883 or andrea.geary@uni.edu.

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa -- Seven Iowa business incubators and coworking sites have joined together to form the Iowa Startup Alliance, a statewide cooperative agreement that allows their members to access and use the facilities and resources of all alliance organizations.

The member tenants and entrepreneurs will have a network of locations to use when traveling within Iowa for business-related activities, such as customer and investor meetings and networking events. They need only to contact the site they are traveling to in advance to arrange for space and resources.

"The duration, resources and space will vary from location to location," said Dan Beenken, manager of the University of Northern Iowa Innovation Incubator. "But the entrepreneurs can count on a warm welcome and helping hand at all sites."

Iowa Startup Alliance organizations

Foundry Coworking
Foundry Coworking is a collaborative office space for startups, freelancers and creatives in downtown Des Moines. It strives to build community and collaboration for the betterment of all members.  

Contact: Alexander Grgurich, alexander.grgurich@gmail.com or 515-966-4210

Website: foundrycoworking.com/

StartupCity Des Moines
StartupCity Des Moines is a technology startup incubator located on Silicon Sixth Avenue in downtown Des Moines. It provides active mentoring, an educational curriculum and a workspace conducive to peer sharing.

Contact: Becky Mollenkamp, becky@startupcitydsm.com or 800-834-0717.

Website: www.startupcitydsm.com

Veel Hoeden
Veel Hoeden, located in downtown Pella, is Iowa's first rural coworking space serving the needs of startups, small businesses, and entrepreneurs. It provides a space where collaboration, community and idea achievement can flourish.

Contact: Joel Bennett, veelhoeden@gmail.com or 641-780-7858.

Website: veelhoeden.posterous.com/

Iowa State University Research Park
Iowa State University Research Park has provided space and business development services to startup and growth focused technology companies for 25 years. The result is an entrepreneurial support infrastructure composed of numerous peer businesses, professional services and university resources. Coworking facilities are provided at the park’s incubator and consist of small private offices and Internet access. 

Contact: Mike Upah, 515-296-7828

Website: http://isupark.org/.

UNI Innovation Incubator/Purple Cat Cowork
The Innovation Incubator at the University of Northern Iowa allows new companies to link with and develop a synergistic relationship with the university. With a convenient campus location, entrepreneurs have an easy avenue to access the resources of UNI in a way that many startups cannot. The incubator helps startup firms in the Cedar Valley reduce their risks and accelerate their growth via technical assistance and the creation of a supportive entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Contact: Dan Beenken, dan.beenken@uni.edu or 319-273-4322

Website: www.bcs.uni.edu/ininc/

Vault Coworking & Collaboration SpaceA joint venture of Corridor Coworks and Seed Here, Vault Coworking & Collaborations Space in downtown Cedar Rapids is a brand-new flexible and affordable professional office space for entrepreneurs, creatives, freelancers and startup companies, all wrapped in a collaborative, friendly and supportive community of like-minded people.

Contact: Andy Stoll, andy@seedhere.org or 424-888-2434
Website: www.crvault.com

West Des Moines Business Incubator
The West Des Moines Business Incubator was incorporated as a 501(c)3 organization in 2010 to foster a climate for entrepreneurial activity and assist in the growth of small businesses. The incubator provides mentoring by the Small Business Development Center as well as its non-profit board members.

Contact: Jo Eckert, jo.eckert@wdm.iowa.gov or 515-222-3621

Website: www.wdmbusinessincubator.com

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa -- The Center for Holocaust and Genocide Education (CHGE) at the University of Northern Iowa is offering a workshop, "Teaching about the Holocaust and the Iowa Core Curriculum."  The workshop, co-sponsored by the Jewish Federation of Greater Des Moines, will take place on Thursday, Nov. 10, from 3:30 to 7 p.m., at Temple B’nai Jeshurun, 5201 Grand Ave., Des Moines.  There is no fee to attend the workshop, but participants must register in advance. 

Close to 30 educators will explore how the Holocaust can be taught to help students develop essential concepts and skills in social studies and language arts mandated by the Iowa Core.  Cheryl Mullenbach, social studies consultant, Iowa Department of Education, will make a presentation and answer questions.  The workshop, which is being held on Nov. 10 to commemorate the 73^rd anniversary of the Kristallnacht (Night of Broken Glass) pogrom, will also include a presentation by Fred Lorber, a resident of Des Moines who lived through Kristallnacht in his home city of Vienna, Austria.  Other workshop activities will give participants opportunities to explore these and other topics.

For more information, please contact Stephen Gaies, director of the CHGE, at chge@uni.edu. 

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – Therese Kuster, a University of Northern Iowa senior public relations major from Boone, was named the Young Entrepreneur Council/Collegiate Entrepreneurs' Organization Student Entrepreneur of the Year at the National CEO Conference Oct. 27-29 in Fort Worth.

The award is presented to a student entrepreneur with a currently active business generating sales revenue. The award is based on an essay and other submitted material such as recommendations and revenue statements.

Kuster won for her business, TargetClick Marketing Solutions. In her essay she discussed starting the business with her partners, Greg Jass, a UNI marketing graduate in May 2011, and Doug Drees. She also discussed the challenges of being a full-time student and business owner.

"Being a student entrepreneur is the most challenging thing I've ever done and it's great to be recognized for all the hard work. It was an honor to be chosen from a group of the nation's top student entrepreneurs," said Kuster.

Katherine Cota-Uyar, associate director of the UNI John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center, said, "The award reinforces the work of Therese and all the student entrepreneurs in the JPEC programs. The students must balance academics with owning and operating a small business."

Kuster noted the essay was a good way to put her everyday challenges into words. "It made me realize how many other student entrepreneurs face the same challenges and it's encouraging to have met so many people that are going through the same things with their own businesses. My best advice to other entrepreneurs is to accomplish something for your business every single day, and remember that's why you started it in the first place."

The UNI CEO organization is part of UNI Entrepreneurs, a student organization focusing on entrepreneurship and community service. UNI Entrepreneurs is a program of the UNI John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center, which is a division of UNI's Business and Community Services. The UNI JPEC provides a range of innovative educational programs and support services designed for student entrepreneurs. For more information about JPEC at UNI, visit www.jpec.org, call (319) 273-JPEC (5732) or e-mail jpec@uni.edu.

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa -- The University of Northern Iowa will host a week-long residency beginning Nov. 7 for two theatre companies, New York City's The TEAM (Theatre of the Emerging American Moment) and Portland Oregon's Sojourn Theatre, who are examining the caucus process in Iowa.  They will collaborate to create "Town Hall," a performance that combines fictional narratives drawn from research demonstrating the world of public discourse, public policy, local governance and civic dialogue.

 The TEAM's Rachel Chavkin and Sojourn Theatre's Michael Rohd are co-leading the project. Working with a team of UNI students, company members will develop the script for "Town Hall" from interviews with students and community members. During the week of Nov. 7, the company will conduct performance workshops, open to campus and the Cedar Valley community. Company members will return to Iowa Jan. 3 for the Iowa Caucus to share their research in a performance open to the public.

The purpose of the project is to discover how civic discourse has changed since the start of the republic, and its impacted by the development of print, broadcast and Internet media. Interviews in Iowa will focus on the caucus process and its effect on civic engagement.

For additional information, contact Karen Mitchell, professor in communication studies, at 319-273-2640 or karen.mitchell@uni.edu.

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa -- Residents in three Cedar Falls neighborhoods are taking small steps to reduce their home energy use, save money and make new friends in a friendly competition called Cool Neighbors organized by the Center for Energy & Environmental Education (CEEE) at the University of Northern Iowa. Residents of College Hill Partnership (CHP), North Cedar and Overman Park neighborhoods are welcome to participate.

A series of monthly events will be held for neighbors from 7 to 8 p.m. on the following dates/locations: Overman Park residents on Monday, Nov. 7, in the Cedar Falls Library large conference room; College Hill Partnership residents on Thursday, Nov. 10, at the CHP office at 23^rd & College in Cedar Falls; and North Cedar residents on Monday, Nov. 14, at the Living Water Church of the Nazarene, W. Lonetree Road in Cedar Falls

Cool Neighbors participants will receive a free LED night light and a chart of their home's energy use compared to their neighbors and to the average Iowan's energy use. They will also view their home on the Cedar Falls Utilities' (CFU) thermal flyover website to see where more weatherization would improve their home's energy loss and possibly lower their utility bill. Participants will hear about CFU's energy efficiency rebates and incentives and then decide what additional steps they want to take.

To sign up, contact your neighborhood helper:
Overman Park, Tara Wilson Pickering at 319-504-1869 or esquires@gmail.com
CHP, Joel Anderson at 319-273-6228 or joeland@uni.edu or Becky Hawbaker at 319-290-1050
North Cedar, Mary Smith at 319-269-7300 or evergreen@cfu.net

Cool Neighbors, a project of the UNI CEEE, is sponsored by CFU, the City of Cedar Falls, Cool Congregations and the Iowa Office of Economic Development. For more information, contact Carole Yates, CEEE program manager, at 319-273-7599 or carole.yates@uni.edu. 

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa -- University of Northern Iowa professor Susan Hill will present "Gluttons and Fat Bodies: Gendered Representations from the Ancient Western World," at noon, Monday, Nov. 7, as part of the Current Research on Women and Gender (CROW) Forum. The forum will be held at the Center for Multicultural Education, 109A Maucker Union.

Hill will discuss gendered representations of gluttony and fatness in the ancient world and will explore the ways in which those representations are fundamentally different from modern American understandings. Today, many believe that people are fat because they are gluttons. Hill will talk about the surprising idea that the connections people make between gluttony and fatness was virtually unknown in the ancient western world.

Hill teaches religion courses at UNI, including Women and Christianity. She received her Ph.D. in religion and literature from The University of Chicago Divinity School. Her lecture topic comes from her recently published book, "Eating to Excess: The Meaning of Gluttony and the Fat Body in the Ancient World." University Book and Supply will be on hand with copies of the book for purchase and Hill will sign books immediately following her presentation.

The event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Barbara Cutter, director of the Women's and Gender Studies Program, at 319-273-5909 or barbara.cutter@uni.edu.

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa -- The University of Northern Iowa Panther Speakers series will offer a free webinar, "Problems? Probably Perception," presented by Nichole Johnson, UNI instructor in communication studies. The webinar is scheduled from noon to 12:50 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 16, and is open to the public.

Many communication issues that occur in the workplace have to do with assumptions and negative attribution. We want to know what others are thinking about us, so we often apply our own meaning and experiences to the situation. The problem? We haven't walked a mile in their shoes. This presentation will explain how perception can be "blamed" for many problems in the workplace and tips to improve perception.

Johnson teaches oral communications, public speaking, internships/cooperative education, interpersonal communication and group communication skills.

To learn more about the UNI Panther Speakers series or to register for this webinar, visit www.uni.edu/pantherspeakers.

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa -- The University of Northern Iowa's Center for Multicultural Education (CME) will host speaker Louisa Thomas at 7 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 10, at the CME on the UNI campus.

Thomas will present "Peaceful Resolution of International Conflict," which will focus on nonviolent conflict resolution. A panel discussion will follow to discuss the peaceful resolution of international conflict which will include Thomas; Jerome Soneson, department head and associate professor of philosophy and world religions; Michael Blackwell, director of the CME; Thomas Kessler, collection management coordinator and associate professor in the Rod Library; and Susan Janzen, pastor at the Cedar Falls Mennonite Church.

Thomas's writing has appeared in the New York Times Book Review, Newsweek, Vogue, the Paris Review Daily, the Washington Post and Slate, among other places. She was formerly on the editorial staff of the New Yorker and a contributing editor at Newsweek. She grew up in Washington D.C., graduated from Harvard University, lives in New York and has authored "Conscience: Two Soldiers, Two Pacifists, One Family--A Test of Will and Faith in World War I."

Thomas will speak in conjunction with UNI's "Reaching for Higher Ground" series. For more information on the series, visit www.uni.edu/higherground/ or contact Blackwell at 319-273-2250 or michael.blackwell@uni.edu.

CEDAR FALLS – Film star Annabeth Gish and Gary Kroeger of "Saturday Night Live" will headline a tribute to former Malcolm Price Laboratory School (MPLS) music and drama directors Les Hale and Ken Butzier at 7 p.m., Friday, Nov. 18, at MPLS, in the Butzier Auditorium.

"For more than a quarter of a century, Hale and Butzier launched actors, designers, opera singers and other professional musicians," said Kristin Teig Torres, who will co-host the tribute with Kroeger.  "Their students have become playwrights, directors, and film, music and drama critics."

The tribute will consist of special performances from MPLS alums, including songs from Broadway musicals sung by Kroeger, Teig Torres, Chris O'Connor, Rhonda Williams, Gavin Mauer and Stephanie Althof. Tony Tomlyanovich will sing an opera aria. Gish will appear via video, as she will be away filming a mini-series.

Butzier and Hale joined the MPLS faculty in 1960.  Over the years they directed plays, musicals, variety shows and their special madrigal dinners. Butzier died of Parkinson's disease more than a decade ago, but one of his sons will speak at the tribute. Hale will be present, with photographs and other memorabilia from 28 years of plays and music also on display.

A reception will begin at 6 p.m., in the auditorium lobby, along with a silent auction. Tickets for the event are $25, and all proceeds from this event will benefit the Ross A. Nielsen Fund, which supports students and faculty at MPLS, Iowa's Research and Development School.

Reservations can be made by calling 319-273-2185. 

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa -- Registration is now open for the management workshop "Been There, Done That — Motivating Experienced, Veteran Employees" hosted by the University of Northern Iowa's Executive Development Center. The workshop is 8:30 a.m. to noon, Nov. 11, in the Business and Community Services Building on the UNI campus. The registration deadline is Friday, Nov. 4.

Maximizing an organization's productivity and results includes motivating employees who have a "been there, done that" attitude. Instructor Casey Reynolds will teach workshop participants how to push employees to their full potential. Reynolds also will discuss how to keep veteran employees engaged in the business' advancement and involved in the transfer of learning to less experienced coworkers.

The half-day workshop cost is $125 per person. UNI Alumni Association members receive a 10-percent discount. Businesses can purchase a consortium membership for $995, which entitles the business to five seats to any of the 2011 management training workshops. Half-day workshops count as a half seat. After the five seats are used, additional seats can be purchased at a discounted rate of $175 per person.

For more information or to register, contact the UNI Executive Development Center at 319-273-5851 or execdev@uni.edu.

The Executive Development Center is a program of Business and Community Services, a division of the UNI College of Business Administration.     

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa -- The University of Northern Iowa will be the host for one of three Super Power Summits held across the state. UNI's event will take place from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 1, at the McLeod Center on the UNI campus.

The Super Power Summit at UNI will host more than 80 middle school students and teachers from across the state to learn how nutrition and physical activity impact healthy living. UNI physical education students will help middle school students during the "Food and Fitness Craze" activities designed to enhance the students' knowledge about nutrition and physical activity.

"We hope the middle school students will return to their respective schools and become advocates in their schools for infusing the concepts of good nutrition and regular physical activity as major components in their school's wellness programs," say Rip Marston, professor, UNI School of Health, Physical Education and Leisure Services (HPELS).

"We have to teach our youth the importance of eating healthy and being physically active. We need to do it in a way that engages them, motivates them and captures their imagination," says Carrie Scheidel, consultant in the Iowa Department of Education, "The best motivators for students to lead a healthy lifestyle are their peers. By getting kids to eat better and become more active, they can utilize the super powers inside them to stay healthy, do better in the classroom and have a better chance to excel."

The students, representing more than 60 schools, and their adult team leaders, will learn how they can take the knowledge they gain at the event to create and activate wellness programs emphasizing nutrition and physical activity in their schools. Each team can apply for mini grants to help cover costs of implementing their local wellness program.

The Super Power Summits are sponsored by Iowa Department of Education's Team Nutrition Program, Iowa Partners: Action for Healthy Kids, the Midwest Dairy Council, Iowa Department of Public Health’s Iowans Fit for Life Program, Iowa State University Extension, UNI School of HPELS and the Wal-mart Foundation.

For more information, contact Marston at 319-273-6882 or ripley.marston@uni.edu.

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa -- The University of Northern Iowa's Strayer-Wood Theatre is seeking one male and one female actor for their spring production of "Dying City," by Christopher Shinn. The playwright specifies the following cast: one male actor, who can play late 20's for the roles of Craig and Peter, and one female actor, who can play late 20's for the role of Kelly. Auditions will be held at 7 p.m., Nov. 7 and 8, at the Strayer-Wood Theatre on the University of Northern Iowa campus. The actors must be available for evening rehearsals beginning Jan. 9, 2012, and performances Feb. 23 through March 4.

Students who are not in the theatre performance program will receive a cold reading upon arrival at auditions. More information about the Department of Theatre’s audition policies and requirements can be found online at http://www.uni.edu/theatre/department/current-students/student-resources....

"Dying City" will be directed by Richard Glockner. In "Dying City," a young therapist, Kelly, whose husband Craig was killed while on military duty in Iraq, is confronted a year later by his identical twin Peter, who suspects that Craig's death was not accidental. Set in a downtown Manhattan apartment after dark, scenes shift from the confrontation between Peter and Kelly, to Kelly's complicated farewell with her husband Craig. Shinn's disturbing, sophisticated drama, infused with references to 9/11 and the war in Iraq, explores how contemporary politics and recent history have transformed the lives of these three characters.

For more information, contact Traci Gaydos, director of marketing, Strayer-Wood Theatre, at 319-273-6387 or traci.gaydos@uni.edu or email the Strayer-Wood Theatre at strayer-wood@uni.edu.

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa -- The University of Northern Iowa's Men's Leadership Institute in UNI's Center for Violence Prevention (CVP) will host the "Building Capacity for Men's Violence Prevention" conference from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., on Wednesday, Oct. 26, in the Commons Ballroom on the UNI campus.

Keynote speakers include Jackson Katz, co-founder of the Mentors in Violence Prevention Strategies; Elizabeth Miller, chief of the Division of Adolescent Medicine and associate professor of pediatrics at the University of Pittsburg; Feroz Moideen, director of coaching boys into men at Futures Without Violence; and Harry Brod, professor in philosophy and world religions at UNI.

The purpose of the conference is to stimulate thought and discussion around mentoring, being a role model for others and presenting innovative and cutting edge approaches to engaging men in violence prevention strategies on college campuses and in communities across Iowa.

The CVP Men's Leadership Institute is designed to provide participants with new knowledge and skills in bystander intervention strategies, mentoring and enhancing the lives of young people in the community and on college campuses.

This project is supported by a $1 million grant awarded to the University of Northern Iowa by the Violence Against Women Office, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice.

For more information, visit www.uni.edu/cvp or contact Annette Lynch, professor in applied human sciences and director of UNI's CVP at 319-273-3054 or annette.lynch@uni.edu.

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa -- Two political science professors at the University of Northern Iowa, Christopher Larimer and Donna Hoffman, recently conducted two surveys comparing attendees at the 2011 GOP Ames Straw Poll to registered Republicans in Iowa who did not attend. The surveys measured the type of conservatism among Republicans, preferences for presidential candidates and political attitudes toward government. The first survey was conducted the day of the GOP Straw Poll in Ames on Aug. 13. The second survey, done by mail, was sent to a random sample of registered Republicans in Iowa.

The straw poll attendees and Republicans who completed the mail survey differ in expected and unexpected ways. Most notably, straw poll attendees tended to identify themselves more as "born-again" Christians, and had more favorable views toward the tea party movement. These participants were also more likely to report having attended the precinct caucuses in the past and have a higher likelihood of attending in the future. This same group also reported significantly higher levels of disagreement with the statement, "The political system is dominated by special interests." No differences were demonstrated in terms of approval of Congress or of President Obama.

UNI students surveyed straw poll attendees to learn about their basic demographics, attitudes toward government, political preferences on issues and for whom they intended to vote. Michele Bachmann and Ron Paul emerged as leaders, followed by Tim Pawlenty and Herman Cain.

The mail survey was sent out a day before the poll, preventing campaign events from biasing one sample or the other. It was sent to active voters only, and was similar to the straw poll. Bachman and Rick Perry had the highest number of votes, followed by Mitt Romney and the next popular response was "no one."

For more information, contact Larimer at 319-273-6047 or christopher.larimer@uni.edu.

CEDAR FALLS -- Winners of the sixth-annual John Pappajohn Iowa Business Plan Competition will be recognized at a special awards luncheon on Nov. 16 in Levitt Hall in Old Main at Drake University in Des Moines.

At the luncheon, Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad and John Pappajohn will speak about entrepreneurship, and the three winners will provide brief overviews of their companies. Checks of $25,000 for first place, $15,000 for second place and $10,000 for third place will be awarded, and a short video about the companies will be presented as the awards are announced.

Following a seven-month long competition, where 50 business plans were submitted and reviewed, seven businesses presented to a panel of judges on Sept. 8. The judging panel included the five John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center (JPEC) representatives from the Iowa Small Business Development Center.

From the presentations, the three competition finalists were chosen by the panel. They are, in alphabetical order:

• M&S FlowMatics, which has developed a unique flow meter for real-time measurement of granular materials though a pipe, such as gravel, grain, sugar or sand. The company was formed in 2009 and is located in Ames.

            Contact: Manjit Misra

            515-290-5292

            mkmisra@iastate.edu

• Radiology Protocols, which has developed an on-line medical imaging process to make radiologic imaging efficient and accurate, thus lowering imaging costs. The company was founded in 2008 and is based in Iowa City.

            Contact:  Steve Baker

            319-430-4300

            sbakerr@radiologyprotocols.com

            www.RadiologyProtocols.com

• VSI Aerospace, Inc., which combines software and air pressure sensors to alert pilots of trajectory changes to enhance safety and fuel savings. The company was founded in 2008 and is based in Ames.

            Contact: Jerald Vogel

            515-292-3578

            vsiaero@gmail.com

            www.vsiaerospace.com

"I congratulate the three winners on their outstanding business plans," said John Pappajohn. "More importantly, I hope this competition will stimulate additional entrepreneurial activity throughout the state and that those business owners who participated will continue to access the resources of the JPECs, business accelerators and SBDCs to help them get started and accelerate their growth once they are in business."           

The John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Centers are located at Drake University, Iowa State University, North Iowa Area Community College, the University of Iowa and the University of Northern Iowa. The John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Centers provide entrepreneurial education and business support, partnering with agencies like the Small Business Development Center, the Iowa Department of Economic Development, Entrepreneurial Development Centers and local entrepreneurs to assist with funding and other business needs.

For additional information please contact one of the JPEC centers via the contact information below.

Drake University John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center

Debra Bishop

515-271-3818

deb.bishop@drake.edu

Iowa State University John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center

Judi Eyles

515-296-8283

eyles@iastate.edu

North Iowa Area Community College John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center

Jamie Zanios

641-422-4111

zaniojam@niacc.edu

University of Iowa John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center

David Hensley

319-335-3999

david-hensley@uiowa.edu

University of Northern Iowa John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center

Randy Pilkington

319-273-5732

randy.pilkington@uni.edu

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa -- Registration is now open for the two-day leadership training program "Fierce Conversations®" hosted by the University of Northern Iowa Executive Development Center. The workshop is 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Nov. 29, in the Business and Community Services Building on the UNI campus. The registration deadline is Nov. 22.

What gets talked about in an organization and how it gets talked about determines what will — or what won't — happen. Fierce Conversations® teaches attendees how to ignite productive dialogue that interrogates reality, provokes learning, resolves tough challenges and enriches relationships. Based on the principles of Susan Scott's best-seller, Fierce Conversations: Achieving Success at Work & in Life, One Conversation at a Time, this foundational, hands-on workshop will introduce participants to transformational ideas and principles that will shift their basic understanding of conversations and the power they hold in leadership, relationships and results.

The cost of the training program is $699, which includes two-days of instruction, program materials, lunch, refreshments and parking.

For more information or to register, contact the UNI Executive Development Center at 319-273-5851 or execdev@uni.edu.

The Executive Development Center is a program of Business and Community Services, a division of the UNI College of Business Administration.     

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa -- Registration is now open for the management workshop "Teaching Your Direct Reports to Solve Problems" hosted by the University of Northern Iowa's Executive Development Center. The workshop is 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Nov. 9, in the Business and Community Services Building on the UNI campus. The registration deadline is Wednesday, Nov. 2.

Workshop participants will learn techniques to teach direct reports how to improve their thinking and problem-solving skills. Participants will practice how to build direct reports' confidence and how to coach them to handle a variety of problems. Vickie Robinson, workshop instructor and UNI associate professor of educational leadership & postsecondary education, will also review ways to reinforce the person's progress and determine when the person can take on more responsibilities and perhaps even mentor others.

The workshop cost is $249 per person. UNI Alumni Association members receive a 10-percent discount. Businesses can purchase a consortium membership for $995, which entitles the business to five seats to any of the 2011 management training workshops. Half-day workshops count as a half seat. After the five seats are used, additional seats can be purchased at a discounted rate of $175 per person.

For more information or to register, contact the UNI Executive Development Center at 319-273-5851 or execdev@uni.edu.

The Executive Development Center is a program of Business and Community Services, a division of the UNI College of Business Administration.     

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – The University of Northern Iowa and Iowa Public Radio (IPR) have invited presidential candidates to share their views on education as part of UNI's Presidential Candidate Education Forums "Addressing the Challenges and Opportunities in Education Today."

Details regarding dates, candidates and times will be shared as campaigns confirm their attendance. The education forums provide a focused opportunity for each candidate to address education in the pivotal state of Iowa. The forums are free and open to the public, and will be recorded and broadcast statewide on Iowa Public Radio.

The forum will include a 30-minute statement from the candidate on his/her education platform and priorities for early childhood through postsecondary education, followed by a series of education-related questions from the audience. The forums will be moderated by Iowa Public Radio.

"The importance of educational excellence to our competitive position in the global economy is widely recognized as calls for education reform echo across the country," said UNI President Ben Allen. "Education has long been a prized value of Iowans, and UNI plays an important role in preparing Iowa's teachers."

For more information about these forums and invitations to candidates, contact Pat Geadelmann, special assistant to the president and board for governmental relations at UNI, at 319-273-6144.

IPR manages station operations for WOI AM and FM, licensed to Iowa State University; WSUI-AM and KSUI-FM, licensed to The University of Iowa; and KUNI-FM and KHKE-FM, licensed to University of Northern Iowa. IPR informs, enriches and engages Iowans through radio programming and other media. IPR enhances civic and cultural connections across the state, strengthening communities and reflecting Iowa's sense of place.

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa — "Creating Buddhas: The Making and Meaning of Fabric Thangkas," a film by Isadora Gabrielle Leidenfrost, will be shown at 1:30 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 22, at the University of Northern Iowa Museum.

This film was produced, directed and edited by Leidenfrost in collaboration with Soulful Media Productions. It explores the life-changing journey of Leslie Rinchen-Wongmo, who was trained in Dharamsala, India. It centers on her making of fabric thangkas, which are silken images of enlightened beings. During her nine years there, she learned the history and spiritual importance of fabric thangkas in Tibetan Buddhism.

This film is being shown in conjunction with the UNI Museums' fall exhibit, "Talking Textiles," which is open through Dec. 5. It is funded in part by the Max & Helen Guernsey Charitable Foundation and supported by Humanities Iowa and the National Endowment for the Humanities.

For more information and a complete listing of programs and events, visit www.uni.edu/museum. The University Museum is open from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, and 1 to 4 p.m. on Saturdays. Admission is free and open to the public.

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa -- The University of Northern Iowa Gallery of Art, in association with the UNI Department of Art, will present the 2011 Department of Art Faculty Exhibition, Monday, Oct. 31 through Monday, Nov. 28.

The opening reception begins at 7 p.m., Monday, Oct. 31, in the Kamerick Art Building (KAB) south lobby. Since the event is Halloween night, those attending are encouraged to come in costume.

The exhibition is a formal presentation of painting, drawing, printmaking, graphic design, motion graphics, sculpture, ceramics, photography, mixed media and installation art, featuring the most recent accomplishments of the faculty in the UNI Department of Art. The exhibition is an opportunity for students and the public at large to experience current themes in contemporary art.

This exhibition and reception are free and open to the public. Gallery hours are 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Monday to Thursday; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Friday; and noon to 5 p.m., Saturday and Sunday. The gallery is located at the northeast corner of Hudson Road and West 27th Street, Cedar Falls, on the main floor of the Kamerick Art Building. For more information, contact Darrell Taylor, director of the UNI Gallery of Art, at 319-273-6134 or darrell.taylor@uni.edu, or visit www.uni.edu/artdept/gallery/Home.html.

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa -- The University of Northern Iowa Museums recently received a Museums for America grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) to open a statewide collection of official documentation covering more than a century of rural school education in Iowa. Museums for America is the Institute's largest grant program for museums, supporting projects and ongoing activities that build museums' capacity to serve their communities.

The UNI Museums have recently become the repository for one of Iowa's richest historical treasures with an archive of 9,000 original documents relating to early Iowa education. Because Iowa has long been known for its high-quality educational system, this collection has national significance and is of great value to scholars, educators, students, museum interpreters, local historians and genealogists investigating educational, rural and women's histories. Through the IMLS grant, an intensive project of cataloguing, policy formulation and website development will make the collection of rural school documents, also known as the Center for the History of Rural Iowa Education and Culture (CHRIEC), more accessible to those wishing to understand and celebrate Iowa's national heritage.

"We are pleased to support Museums for America grantees through investments in high-priority, high value activities that benefit communities throughout the U.S.," said IMLS Director Susan Hildreth. "These museums, small and large, will help to educate and inspire the public for years to come."

The IMLS is the primary source of federal support for the nation's 123,000 libraries and 17,500 museums. The Institute's mission is to create strong libraries and museums that connect people to information and ideas. The Institute works at the national level and in coordination with state and local organizations to sustain heritage, culture and knowledge; enhance learning and innovation; and support professional development. To learn more about the Institute, visit www.imls.gov.

The University Museum is located at 3219 Hudson Road in Cedar Falls and is open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Saturdays 1 to 4 p.m. The Marshall Center One Room School is located on the corner of Indiana and 23^rd Street in Cedar Falls. The school is open by appointment only. For more information on UNI Museums and CHRIEC, visit www.uni.edu/museum or contact Jori Wade-Booth, public affairs coordinator for the UNI Museums at 319-273-2188 or jori.wade-booth@uni.edu.

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – The Collective Interaction Research Group (CIRG) is tackling the question of how to effectively integrate smartphones with classroom activities. Ben Schafer and Stephen Hughes, University of Northern Iowa professors in computer science, and two students, Sean Fredericksen and Aaron Mangel, computer science majors, have been developing software to be used for android-based classroom response systems. The group was awarded a grant from the Grow Iowa Value Fund to help obtain their goals.

Smart phones and tablet computers have become increasingly popular communication tools. These devices go beyond voice-driven communication to an endless stream of information available at virtually any time. The potential for the use of smartphones in college classrooms seems endless, limited only by the imagination of the programmers.

The CIRG has created a system where students can use their android-based smart phone to collectively respond to questions posted by the teacher. The class results are synthesized and may be projected for the class to see and discuss. Through the discussion, students are encouraged to revise their answers until a consensus is reached. Some of the future goals for the project include refinement of the response system, exploration of additional collaborative features and understanding the domain-specific applications. Each area of study comes with a unique way of completing certain tasks, and the group is learning how this technology can be adapted to best serve individual subject areas.

For additional information, contact Stephen Hughes, professor of computer science, at 319-273-2618 or stephen.hughes@uni.edu.

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa -- Documentary filmmaker and Academy Award nominee Alice Elliott will visit the University of Northern Iowa to screen two of her works. She will show her Academy Award-nominated film "The Collector of Bedford Street" at 8 p.m., on Monday, Oct. 24, followed by Q&A in Lang Hall Auditorium. At 8 p.m., on Tuesday, Oct. 25, Elliott will host a screening of "Body and Soul: Diana and Kathy," at 109 Center for Multicultural Education in the upper level of the Maucker Union, followed by Q&A and light refreshments. 

Elliott has worked in theater, film and television for more than 35 years. She is a published and produced playwright of both adult and children's plays. As a performer, she appeared on ABC's daytime drama "LOVING" for 10 years and appeared in two feature films including "Four Friends," directed by Arthur Penn. Elliott is an associate teacher at the New York University Tisch School of the Arts.

Elliott is the inaugural visiting filmmaker in the William and Stephanie Clohesy Documentary Film Series.  The goal of the series is to bring America's most distinguished documentary filmmakers to UNI.  The series is sponsored by the UNI Department of Communication Studies, and directed by David O’Shields, filmmaker-in-residence and adjunct instructor in the department.

Both events are free and open to the public. For more information, contact Christopher Martin, interim head of Communication Studies, at 319-273-6118 or martinc@uni.edu.

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa -- The University of Northern Iowa's work in helping address the U.S. Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) crisis will be featured in a half-hour special edition of the Profiles Series, hosted by actor Louis Gossett, Jr. The program will air on the Discovery Channel at 6 a.m. Central Daylight Time, Friday, Oct. 21.

The segment also will be broadcast via syndication in the top 50 U.S. television markets and overseas on Voice of America TV.

The videos are posted on UNI's executive vice president and provost's site http://www.uni.edu/provost/.

A one-minute commercial promoting the show will air on TV stations serving Des Moines, the Quad Cities, Chicago, Minneapolis and St. Louis, as well as stations in the top 30 U.S. TV markets. For more information about the Profiles Series, see http://www.profilesseries.com/.

For more information about UNI's role in STEM education, contact Gloria Gibson, executive vice president and provost at 319-273-2517.

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa -- The University of Northern Iowa is an outstanding business school, for the sixth consecutive year, according to The Princeton Review. The New York-based education-services company features the school in the just-published 2012 edition of "The Best 294 Business Schools" (Random House/Princeton Review, Oct. 11, 2012).

Robert Franek, Princeton Review senior vice president-publisher, said, "We recommend UNI as one of the best institutions they could attend to earn an MBA. We chose the 294 business schools in this book based on our high opinion of their academic programs and offerings, as well as our review of institutional data we collected from the schools. We also strongly consider the candid opinions of students attending the schools who rate and report on their campus experiences at their schools on our survey for the book."

Farzad Mousavi, dean of UNI's College of Business Administration, said, "It is gratifying to receive continued recognition from The Princeton Review, which is internationally respected for its independence. The Princeton Review's focus is on MBA programs, but our MBA program does not operate in isolation. It relies on the same faculty, staff and academic philosophy as the rest of the college. What The Princeton Review finds so appealing -- high quality of instruction and strong student orientation -- defines the entire college."

"The Best 294 Business Schools: 2012 Edition" has two-page profiles of the schools with write-ups on their academics, student life and admissions, plus ratings for their academics, selectivity and career placement services.  In the profile on UNI, the Princeton Review editors say, "'Quality, speed and cost' are among the top reasons students cite for choosing the MBA program at University of Northern Iowa's College of Business Administration."

One student told The Princeton Review, "The University of Northern Iowa offers a superior program to others in my area." Another said, "It allows for a quick completion time while providing the business instruction I need." Said another, "From the dean to the newest professor, everyone at the University of Northern Iowa is available and willing to help you be successful."

UNI's MBA program facilitates the professional development of middle-level managers and those aspiring to managerial positions. The program seeks to improve their dynamic capabilities to discern, describe, and solve business problems and manage resources for value creation. Learn more about UNI's MBA program at business.uni.edu/mba.

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa -- The University of Northern Iowa College of Education will continue its free Hot Topics in Education webinar series at 4 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 10. Jed Smith, an instructor and assistant director of strength and conditioning at UNI will present "Exercise and the Brain: New Research on how Exercise Sparks Learning Mood."

This webinar will explain why modern conveniences have made humans more susceptible to mental health problems and a sedentary lifestyle. New research shows a link to the lack of exercise and chemical imbalances in the brain. Learn how exercise holds the key to our intelligence and mental well-being. For more information and to register, visit www.uni.edu/coe/webinars.

"Hot Topics in Education" webinars will be offered once a month through April on a variety of national hot topics in education. 

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – Susan Retik, president and co-founder of "Beyond the 11^th," will present "The Afghanistan Widows Project: A Constructive Response to 9/11," from 7 to 8:30 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 25, at the Gallagher-Bluedorn Performing Arts Center on the University of Northern Iowa campus.

"Beyond the 11^th" is a nonprofit organization that provides support to widows in Afghanistan who have been afflicted by war, terrorism and oppression. Retik's commitment to Afghan widows was born from her own journey into widowhood, which began on Sept. 11, 2001, when her husband David was killed on American Airlines Flight 11. Retik and co-founder Patricia Quigley, another Sept. 11 widow, turned tragedy into triumph with "Beyond the 11^th" by reaching out to help others as they overcame their own grief.

"You can't always choose the roles you play in life, but you can choose the way in which you play them," said Retik. "We didn't choose to be 9/11 widows, but with that title comes a voice."

Excerpts from "Beyond Belief," an award-winning documentary about Retik's work with the widows of Afghanistan, will be shown during the presentation.

UNI's Reaching for Higher Ground series and the Community Foundation are sponsoring the event. For more information, contact Gerri Perreault, associate professor and director in leadership studies, at 319-273-6898 or geraldine.perreault@uni.edu.

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa -- The University of Northern Iowa will host speaker Gail Dines from 6:30 to 8 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 19, in 002 Sabin Hall, on the UNI campus.

Dines will present "Supersexed: Pop Culture Images of Women in a Porn Culture," which focuses on the hyper-sexualization of the ways that porn images filter down into mainstream pop culture. A question and answer session, a book sale and author signing of Dines' book, "Pornland," will follow the session.

Dines is a professor of sociology and women's studies at Wheelock College in Boston. Her work on media and pornography has appeared in academic journals and magazines, such as TIME and Newsweek, and newspapers across the country. She recently received the Myers Center Award for the Study of Human Rights and is a founding member of "Stop Porn Culture," an educational and activist group of antiviolence experts, community organizers and anyone concerned about increasing pornification of the culture.

The event is free and open to the public to anyone 18 years and older. Recording devices, including cameras, are not permitted during the lecture.

For more information, contact Ruth Chananie-Hill, assistant professor in sociology, anthropology and criminology at 319-273-7242 or rchill@uni.edu

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa -- Harry Gray, the Arnold O. Beckman professor of chemistry at the California Institute of Technology, will present "The Solar Army" at the 2011 Leland Wilson Endowed Chemistry Lecture at the University of Northern Iowa. The lecture will be presented at 7 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 27, in Lantz Auditorium, McCollum Science Hall.

Gray is currently trying to design solar-driven molecular machines that will store solar energy by splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen. Hydrogen is a clean fuel that can hopefully be used or combined with carbon dioxide to produce methanol, a liquid fuel. He also is working on light absorbers and catalysts that have the potential to split water as efficiently as natural photosynthesis. He plans to recruit hundreds of students to join a "solar army" whose mission will be to discover brand new metal-oxide catalysts for solar water splitters.

Gray began his work in inorganic chemistry at Northwestern University where he earned his Ph.D. He went on to win the Wolf Prize in Chemistry in 2004 for his work in bioinorganic chemistry. He is also the founding director of the Beckman Institute at the California Institute of Technology.

The Leland Wilson Endowed Chemistry Lectureship was established in 2007 by a gift from Wilson's daughter, Mary Sue Coleman, president of the University of Michigan and former president of the University of Iowa, and her husband, Kenneth Coleman. Wilson was the first department head of the newly formed Department of Chemistry at UNI in 1968, and served in that capacity until 1975. He retired as professor of chemistry in 1979 and died in 1993 at age 79.

The lecture is free and open to the public.  For more information, contact Harwood, UNI department head and professor of chemistry and biochemistry, at 319-273-2437 or bill.harwood@uni.edu.

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa -- The University of Northern Iowa's Interpreters Theatre will open the 2011-2012 season with "Carne Viva in Postville" at 7 p.m., Oct. 13, Oct. 15 and Oct. 20 to 22, in 040 Lang Hall on the UNI campus.

Written and directed by Jennifer Cooley and Karen Mitchell, "Carne Viva in Postville" is based on an ethnography about Guatemalan weavers that Cooley conducted following the U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement raid in Postville, Iowa in May 2008.  It is set in the five-month period following the raid and includes the testimonials of several Guatemalan women who worked at the Agriprocessors meat packing plant. The performance explores the role of women's creative work, including weaving, cooking and storytelling, as a constructive force in combating certain destructive behaviors.

Discussions with the creators and actors will follow each performance. Seating is limited, but open to the public. For more information, contact Mitchell, professor of communication studies, at 319-273-2640 or karen.mitchell@uni.edu.

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa -- Strayer-Wood Theatre will present "Mad Forest" by Caryl Churchill, at 7:30 p.m., Oct. 20 to 22 and Oct. 27 to 29 and at 2 p.m., Oct. 23 and 30, in the Strayer-Wood Theatre on the University of Northern Iowa campus.

Churchill's "Mad Forest" places ordinary people into the churning realities of acting and defining revolution. With a wedding being planned, two families must navigate what should be a joyous occasion of union against the onslaught of threats, hearsay and chaos that eventually topple a megalomaniacal regime. With similar events in Egypt not too distant, Churchill's play, set in Romania during December 1989, presents a theatrical perspective on "revolution" that will speak to guests – as individuals, members of family and community, and citizens of the world.

"Mad Forest" is the second offering of the Strayer-Wood Theatre's 2011-2012 season, "Renewal: Emerging Beyond Struggles." The production is directed by Cynthia Goatley, associate professor of performance. Costumes were designed by Carol Colburn, professor of design and production; scenery was designed by Leonard M. Curtis, associate professor of design and production. Lighting was designed by Mark A. Parrott, assistant professor of design and production and Stephanie Wessels, senior design and production major; hair and make-up was designed by Kelli Craig, junior theatre arts major. The stage manager is Kylie Weitz, senior theatre arts major.

"Mad Forest" will play on the main stage of Strayer-Wood Theatre on the UNI campus. Tickets are $16 for general admission and free for UNI students with their uCard.  Tickets can be purchased from the Strayer-Wood Theatre lobby box office between noon and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. The box office will be open one hour before curtain time.

For more information, call the Strayer-Wood Theatre box office at 319-273-6381 or visit www.uni.edu/theatre/swt.

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa -- Stephen L. Carter, a distinguished professor at Yale Law School, will discuss the U.S. decision to go to war and ethical issues surrounding this decision as a part of the Reaching for Higher Ground series at the University of Northern Iowa, from 7 to 8:30 p.m., on Tuesday, Oct. 18, in Lang Hall Auditorium.

Carter's most recent book, "The Violence of Peace: America's Wars in the Age of Obama," is about how President Barack Obama has handled wartime policies during his presidency. It discusses how the president has, surprisingly to some, continued many of former President George W. Bush's policies in the war on terror. At the lecture, Carter will speak further about the possible reasoning behind these actions.

There will be a book signing and reception following the lecture; UNI University Book & Supply will be on site selling the book.

This event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Tabatha Cruz, program coordinator of UNI's Center for Multicultural Education, at 319-273-2250 or tabatha.cruz@uni.edu.

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa -- The University of Northern Iowa's American Chemical Society students will host a "Halloween House" for children in kindergarten through fifth grade, from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m., Friday, Oct. 21, on the second floor of McCollum Science Hall on the UNI campus.

The Halloween House will have four theme rooms. Children in the Pirate's Cove will turn pennies to gold doubloons, create sea foam and watch what happens when mermaids cry. In the Devil's Den, guests will hold fire in their hands and see other feats of fire. In the Witches' Lair children will make raisins dance, release genies and turn water into wine. Frankenstein's Lab will channel electricity to make things float in mid-air, cause guest's hair to stand on end and make things glow in the dark.

Each room will host performances or hands-on activities. Activities will include a clown performing tricks, making slime and gak and a make-your-own ice cream parlor.

This event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Bill Harwood, department head and professor in UNI's Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, at 319-273-2052 or bill.harwood@uni.edu.

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa -- Registration is now open for the management workshop "Boss-ology: Understanding your Boss' Priorities and Goals" hosted by the University of Northern Iowa's Executive Development Center. The workshop is scheduled 8:30 a.m. to noon, Oct. 25, in the Business and Community Services Building on the UNI campus. The registration deadline is Oct. 18.

During this workshop, instructor Jim Hogan will show participants how to become a "boss-ologist" and how to learn their boss' priorities and objectives when they haven't been openly communicated. Workshop participants will learn how to identify what work practices are valued and their boss' work style and communication preferences. They also will learn how to pay attention to subtle clues that can help make them more productive, reduce their stress and enjoy work more.

The half-day workshop cost is $125 per person. UNI Alumni Association members receive a 10-percent discount. Businesses can purchase a consortium membership for $995, which entitles the business to five seats to any of the 2011 management training workshops. Half-day workshops count as a half seat. After the five seats are used, additional seats can be purchased at a discounted rate of $175 per person.

For more information or to register, contact the UNI Executive Development Center at 319-273-5851 or execdev@uni.edu.

The Executive Development Center is a program of Business and Community Services, a division of the UNI College of Business Administration.    

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa -- The University of Northern Iowa's Tallgrass Prairie Center will hold a fall open house from 3 to 5 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 12, to showcase new renovations and building expansion. The center is located on the western edge of campus at 2412 W. 27th Street, west of Hudson Road.

Visitors can learn about programs and projects, visit with the staff, view the facilities and landscape and enjoy refreshments. "We really want to encourage everyone to come and see what is going on," said Daryl Smith, director of the center. "We have lots of programs that will interest many people. The open house is a good opportunity to learn about what we are doing. We are also very proud of our newly renovated and expanded facilities which include a new laboratory, new office space for graduate students and expanded shop and equipment storage facilities."

The center's mission is to restore native vegetation for the benefit of society and environment through research, education and technology.  There are three primary programs that include the Prairie Institute, the Integrated Roadside Vegetation Management Program (IRVM) and the Natural Selections Program. The Prairie Institute reflects UNI's 35-year commitment to prairie reconstruction, restoration, management and advocacy. The IRVM program assists Iowa counties in implementing programs utilizing native vegetation. The Natural Selections Program provides and promotes source-identified seed of Iowan origin to increase its commercial availability and affordability.

This event is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be provided. For more information, visit www.tallgrassprairiecenter.org.

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa -- The University of Northern Iowa Alumni Association will present its annual Heritage Honours Awards during a luncheon and program at 11:45 a.m., Saturday, Nov. 12, in the UNI Commons. Tickets are available for $15 for adults and $7 for children 12 and under by calling 319-273-6078. The awards program honors the professional accomplishments of UNI graduates and service to the university.

Gary Scholten (B.A. '80) will receive the Alumni Achievement Award for his outstanding overall professional accomplishments. Jean Trainor (B.A. '75) will receive the Alumni Service Award for her continuous service to UNI. Jason Lau (B.A. '99, M.A. '02) will receive the Young Alumnus Award which recognizes graduates of 40 years of age or younger who have excelled in their professions at a young age. Robert and Mary Ellen Molinaro will receive the Honorary Alumni Award.

Scholten, a native of Larchwood, Iowa, is senior vice president and chief information officer at Principal Financial Group. He has received numerous awards for his contributions to his industry and has been featured in national magazines. Scholten has led efforts in Des Moines and the State of Iowa to develop programs aimed at middle and high school students to generate interest in and preparation for careers in information technology.

Scholten was instrumental in developing UNI Day and Principal Day, an exchange between Principal employees in Des Moines and UNI students and faculty. He is also a charter member of the Advisory Board to the Department of Computer Science.

Trainor is CEO and president of Veridian Credit Union. She has received numerous awards for her dedication to building a better community. Trainor served on the United Way board of directors for 12 years and has been active in many organizations throughout the Cedar Valley. She is a recipient of the Matt Parrott Integrity award and the Distinguished Alumni award from Cedar Valley Catholic Schools.

Trainor has served UNI in many capacities including mentoring in Career Services, serving on the College of Business Administration Advisory Council and supporting the Gallagher-Bluedorn Performing Arts Center. She also hosted Inclusion Connection, an event that stressed the abilities of people with disabilities.

Lau grew up in Hong Kong and received a degree in social work from Hong Kong Polytechnic University. He graduated summa cum laude from UNI, earning both his B.A. and M.A. in Leisure, Youth and Human Services. He earned his Ph.D. in Education Policy & Leadership Studies from the University of Iowa.

While a student at UNI, Lau received several awards for his extensive volunteer work. He also started an international early childhood education consulting business with partner Winnie Wong. Due to the success of this business, he created the Global Competency Consulting Research Fund for Early Developmental Education. The fund will be used to help defray research expenses for UNI’s faculty and graduate students. He also created the Po Wa Opportunity scholarship to honor his parents.

Robert and Mary Ellen Molinaro's generosity is well known throughout the Cedar Valley. The University of Northern Iowa Alumni Association is recognizing these great friends of UNI for their extraordinary commitment to the university and the local community. The prestigious status of honorary alumnus will be bestowed upon them at the November ceremony.

Robert says benevolence and hard work were instilled in him as a child. Taking the lead from his mother, he has made an impact in the Cedar Valley by giving to those in need. Through the Molinaro Charitable Foundation, Robert and Mary Ellen have made gifts to Cedar Valley Hospice, Exceptional Persons, the University of Northern Iowa and many other organizations. As members of the UNI Panther Scholarship Club, their generous support has made an impact on student-athletes and several UNI athletic programs. In memory of their son, they established the Hank Molinaro Memorial Endowed Scholarship to support student-athletes in men'’s and women'’s golf. Robert is CEO of Warren Transport, Inc. and Mary Ellen is an active volunteer in the community.