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Saturday, March 5 2011

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Noted expert on Arab-American relations James Zogby will speak March 9

Author James Zogby, a scholar and expert on Arab-American relations, will discuss his new book during a lecture, "Arab Voices: What They Are Saying to Us and Why it Matters," at 8 p.m. Wednesday, March 9, in the Memorial Union Great Hall. Zogby is the founder and president of the Arab American Institute, a Washington, D.C.-based organization that serves as the political and policy research arm of the Arab-American community. His presentation is part of the university's World Affairs Series and is free and open to the public.
News release.

Author and environmentalist Rick Bass will speak at Iowa State March 9

Photo by Nicole Blaisdell

Environmentalist and award-winning author Rick Bass will discuss the process of writing his latest novel, during a talk, "From Idea to Novel: A Writer and Activist at Work, " at 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 9, in the Memorial Union Sun Room. Bass, who is an affiliate faculty member in Iowa State's MFA program in creative writing and environment, is the author of more than 20 books. His new novel, "Nashville Chrome," draws on the rise and fall of the Brown trio, the true-life country music trailblazers who pioneered the 1950s sound from which the novel takes its title. The presentation is free and open to the public.

News release.

ISU historian edits book detailing first human space mission, which turns 50 this year

Iowa State history professor James Andrews (above) co-edited "Space Exploration and Soviet Culture" -- a new book to be published this fall -- exploring the post-World War II Soviet space age and its cultural history, including the famed mission of cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin. He became the first human to journey into outer space on April 12, 1961 -- an event that will celebrate its 50th anniversary this year.

New radio program podcast examines ‘science’ of parenting

Parents have a new source for sound advice on raising kids and teens - the "Science of Parenting," a new monthly radio program podcast from Iowa State University Extension. The show offers research-based parenting advice from experts across the country, said program host Douglas Gentile (photo right), an associate professor of psychology and extension specialist at Iowa State. Co-host Mike Murray (photo left) -- a mechanical engineer with ISU's Facilities Planning and Management -- brings the "parent-on-the-street perspective" to the program.

Global ISU study: Invasive species widespread, but not more than at home range

Invasive plant species have long had a reputation as being bad for a new ecosystem when they are introduced. As it turns out, they aren't any more abundant away from home than they are at home.

News release.

Daily Beast columnist and CNN political contributor John Avlon will speak March 8

Author, political columnist and voice-of-the-center John Avlon will present "Putting Labels Aside: Not Left, Not Right, Just Forward," at 8 p.m. Tuesday, March 8, in the Memorial Union Sun Room. Avlon specializes in the analysis of the independent movement and is a CNN political contributor. He is a senior political columnist at the Daily Beast, and author of "Independent Nation: How Centrists Can Change American Politics" and "Wingnuts: How the Lunatic Fringe is Hijacking America." His talk is free and open to the public.

News release.

Salk Institute researcher and ISU's first Science Bound graduate to speak March 7

Salk Institute photo

Salk Institute plant scientist Charles Stewart Jr. graduated from Iowa State in 2000, the university's first Science Bound graduate. He will return to speak on "Fighting Hunger: A DNA Engineer's Path to Science and Success," at 8 p.m. Monday, March 7, in the Memorial Union Great Hall. A research associate at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, San Diego, Stewart studies how plant enzymes make chemicals that are important to medicine and agriculture. Stewart's free, public lecture is part of the 20th anniversary celebration of Science Bound, ISU's program to increase the number of ethnically diverse Iowa youth pursuing science, technology, engineering and math careers.

News release.

Oliver named interim dean of ISU’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

David Oliver, professor and associate dean of ISU's College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, has been named interim dean effective July 1. He will succeed Dean Michael Whiteford, who will retire on June 30 and move to Oregon to be closer to his family. Oliver will serve until a new dean is appointed and able to start.

News release.

Anumantha Kanthasamy

Anumantha Kanthasamy

ISU research raises hope for solving Parkinson’s disease puzzle

Anumantha Kanthasamy of ISU's College of Veterinary Medicine has discovered a protein pathway that may hold the secret to understanding Parkinson's disease. He has been working to understand the complex mechanisms of the disease for more than a decade and believes this recent discovery offers hope for the cure.

News release.