2012

Stanley Awards info workshop to be held Oct. 23

International Programs will host an information workshop regarding the Stanley Awards for International Research on Tuesday, Oct. 23, 2012, from 3:30-4:30 p.m. in 1117 University Capitol Centre. Undergraduates interested in international studies are especially encouraged to attend.

From Snakes' Blood to Sewage

Professor, author, and researcher Ann Grodzins Gold will give a lecture Thursday, Oct. 25, from 4:00-5:30 p.m. in 2390 University Capitol Centre (the Executive Board Room) discussing the cultural impact on an Indian community of losing a river of great spiritual importance. The talk is titled, “From Snakes' Blood to Sewage: Mythology and Ecology of a Minor River in Rajasthan.”

What's The Story?

The energy and exuberance of carnaval’s vibrant music, joyful dance, and exhilarating visual displays will soon make its way into our city – and community members are encouraged to get involved in the action.

Several events in late October will allow Iowans to come together, share their unique stories, and participate in hands-on workshops to turn those stories into large-scale artistic masterpieces for the 2013 Iowa City Carnaval Parade.

UI group educates public on human rights in North Korea

While the security threat North Korea poses is often discussed, little is known about the severe human-rights crisis the country is suffering.

This is something the organization Liberty in North Korea, commonly referred to as LiNK, wants to change. The University of Iowa LiNK rescue team hosted its biggest event of the semester Wednesday night. Representatives from LiNK showed a documentary created by the non-governmental organization entitled “The People’s Crisis.” They also presented their Shift campaign, in which their goal is to change the way the media talk about North Korea, moving away from military issues to more humanitarian concerns.

India one of the most popular UI study abroad destinations

University of Iowa junior Jake Thomas wants his study-abroad experience to be different and out of the ordinary. The first place that popped up in his mind was a country several thousand miles away from his home — India.

The business major has a keen interest in understanding how business is conducted in India and bringing home some unique skills. He is eyeing the Social Entrepreneurship course in the UI India Winterim program.

Symposium explores the culture, history, art, and struggles of the Latinos in the Midwest

Vicki Ruiz knows Latino culture.

“Latinos are the biggest minority group in the United States, but their contributions and legacies in the United States often remain invisible to the general public and contribute to the unfortunate notion that Latinos are peoples who arrived the day before yesterday,” said the professor of history and Chicano/Latino Studies. Around 16 percent of the United States is made up of Latinos, and that demographic is only going to grow, according to the 2010 Census. Being the fastest growing minority group in the United States, it is estimated that this 16 percent will jump up to 30 percent by 2050.

Our View: UI would benefit from a program in Latino Studies

The results of the 2010 census show that Latinos now make up the largest ethnic minority group in Iowa.

In recent years, the University of Iowa has responded to that demographic shift by expanding its outreach to prospective students of Latino heritage, hiring faculty members with expertise in Latino issues and supporting research on Latinos.

Hualing Nieh Engle to receive 2012 International Impact Award

Co-founder and tireless supporter of the International Writing Program (IWP) at the University of Iowa, Hualing Nieh Engle will receive the 2012 International Impact Award as part of the November 2 WorldCanvass program “IWP: Writing the Stories of the World.” The program, which is free and open to the public, will take place from 5-7 p.m., in the Senate Chamber of the Old Capitol Museum. A reception will follow.

Confucius Institute to offer free Chinese calligraphy class Oct. 24

UI International Programs’ Confucius Institute will offer a Chinese calligraphy workshop Wednesday, Oct. 24, from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. in 1117 University Capitol Centre. Participants will learn the art and history of calligraphy while gaining hands-on experience. No prior knowledge of Chinese or calligraphy is required and all materials will be provided.

A time of exploration and inspiration in Barbados

This summer, Naomi Jackson, a recipient of the Stanley Graduate Award for International Research, traveled to the island of Barbados to conduct research and continue work on her novel and MFA thesis project, which is set on the Caribbean island. In this reflection, Naomi shares her thoughts on the experience and the importance of her personal research to the final product of her first novel. (Photo, top left, credit: Sophia Wallace)

ESG luncheon Oct. 19: 'Managing a Nazi-Era Past in the West German Public'

The European Studies Group (ESG) is hosting a luncheon talk featuring speaker Gabriele von Roedern at noon Friday, Oct. 19, in 1117 University Capitol Centre. Her talk, titled “Questionable Pasts: Managing a Nazi-Era Past in the West German Public, 1957-1979,” will focus on the legal attempts by individuals to control how their personal pasts were portrayed in public discourses in West Germany.

Gabriele von Roedern is a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of History in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Her dissertation examines how individuals accused of having a Nazi-era past sought to manage those accusations within the larger West German public.

Our View: Iowa needs to invest in its court system

Earlier this year, Iowa Chief Justice Mark Cady used his annual State of the Judiciary address to give Iowa lawmakers a somewhat unexpected reason why the state needs to support a healthy court system: because it’s good for business.

On Thursday, Cady visited with the Press-Citizen Editorial Board and made a similar pitch invoking the language of economic development.

And that’s not surprising. Like every other business or governmental venture, Iowa’s court system needs to keep pace with the rapid changes in information technology.

U.S. Student Fulbright Grant Workshop and Panel Discussion Oct. 18

Assistant Director of Outreach and Communications at the Council for International Exchange of Scholars (CIES) Andrew Riess will give a workshop on the Fulbright Program for U.S. Students on Thursday, October 18, from 1:00-2:15 p.m. in International Commons, UCC 1117.  The Fulbright grant provides a wonderful opportunity to pursue international research or study in all fields, or to teach English abroad, for one academic year.  

UI suspends study-abroad program marked by student's death

Earlier this year, Iowa Chief Justice Mark Cady used his annual State of the Judiciary address to give Iowa lawmakers a somewhat unexpected reason why the state needs to support a healthy court system: because it’s good for business.

On Thursday, Cady visited with the Press-Citizen Editorial Board and made a similar pitch invoking the language of economic development.

And that’s not surprising. Like every other business or governmental venture, Iowa’s court system needs to keep pace with the rapid changes in information technology.

A global impact: Scholarship to support engineering opportunities in developing countries

A recent gift from Dean and Tammy Oskvig of Stilwell, Kan., to the University of Iowa Foundation will establish the Oskvig Global Engineering Scholarship within the UI College of Engineering.

The endowed gift will support one or more annual scholarships for engineering students interested in serving communities in developing countries through work in energy and/or water for a meaningful part of their professional career.