Authored by Joan Kjaer

Words like gender, identity, and sexuality are used to categorize individuals… they’re used to sort out qualities and characteristics and to group ‘like’ types together. They can refer to specific physical attributes, to sexual preferences, or to psychological affinities that may or may not reflect the socially-defined constructs of masculine and feminine traits and behaviors. Our guests on the December 9 WorldCanvass will explore what we mean by gender and identity and will help us understand how they affect the ways in which we see ourselves and others see us. The program, which is free and open to the public, begins at 5 p.m. at FilmScene, 118 East College Street in Iowa City.

Journalist, author, and activist Roger Thurow and tropical medicine specialist Dr. Selma Jeronimo have been named the winners of the 2014 International Impact Awards. UI President Sally Mason and Associate Provost and Dean of International Programs Downing Thomas will present the awards to Thurow and Jeronimo at 5 p.m., November 18, at FilmScene in downtown Iowa City as part of the television/radio/internet program WorldCanvass. The ensuing discussion will focus on the tenacious cycle of poverty, hunger, and disease which afflicts so many parts of our globe—and some of the creative efforts worldwide to break the cycle.

From noon to 1 p.m. on Thursday, September 25, the popular Moroccan fusion group Hoba Hoba Spirit will share its music and artistic vison on a special edition of WorldCanvass at FilmScene. This WorldCanvass Studio program is produced in partnership with Hancher as part of a week-long Iowa City residency that accompanies the Friday, September 26, Hoba Hoba Spirit concert at CSPS (Legion Arts) in Cedar Rapids.

At 5 p.m. on Tuesday, October 14, WorldCanvass will explore contemporary Brazil. Our immense neighbor to the south—comprising roughly the same land mass as the U.S.—is the world’s fifth largest country and seventh largest economy. Bursting with biodiversity and undergoing rapid development, Brazil faces a host of tough choices for both its people and the natural environment. Our discussion will reach beyond the brilliant beaches and soccer arenas to reflect on the multi-cultural legacy of Brazil’s complex past as seen in everything from its language to uniquely Brazilian artistic expressions to the political and social dynamics that are actively shaping the Brazil of the 21st century.

Whether it’s the quest to build a better mousetrap or develop a promising new vaccine, it takes courage, inspiration, and out-of-the-box thinking to propel the creative spirit past stumbling blocks, early failures, and the sometimes tepid encouragement of others. It takes passion. At 5 p.m. on September 2, host Joan Kjaer and her WorldCanvass guests will discuss how personal passion can turn a shapeless idea into a tangible reality.

A unique and exciting endeavor that merges art and science in a reflection on the beauty, intricacy, and fragility of our planet will be the cornerstone of the next WorldCanvass. The Crossroads Project brings together scientists, artists, musicians, and others to explore climate change and the challenge of sustainability through the complementary languages of science and art. WorldCanvass takes place on April 11 from 5-7 p.m. in the Senate Chamber of the Old Capitol Museum. The program is free and open to the public.

On the next WorldCanvass, host Joan Kjaer and her guests will discuss teaching innovation with a focus on creative and high-impact ways teachers are engaging the minds of University of Iowa students, contributing to both student academic success and faculty professional development. The live event takes place on Friday, December 6, from 5 to 7 p.m. in the Senate Chamber of Old Capitol Museum.

Marcelo Mena-Carrasco, a Chilean alumnus of the UI College of Engineering and advocate of socially responsible and sustainable environmental practices, has been named the winner of the 2013 International Impact Award. President Sally Mason and Associate Provost and Dean of International Programs Downing Thomas will present the award to Dr. Mena-Carrasco at 5 p.m., November 8, in the Senate Chamber of the Old Capitol Museum immediately preceding the taping of the television/radio/internet program “WorldCanvass: The Social Impact of Sustainability.” The public is invited to attend both the program and the following reception.

Our bodies do more than house our organs. They carry our genetic makeup, they grow and develop through decades of change, and they figure prominently in that mysterious complex of emotions, perceptions, and insights we call identity. Our bodies provide a template for personal expression and for decorative enhancements, and they can bounce back from grievous assaults and degradations. But what if we don’t feel comfortable in our own skins? WorldCanvass will investigate these questions and more when the topic is “Remaking the Body: Identity and Body Modification.”

Who is a refugee? What distinguishes refugees from immigrants? When and how is refugee status recognized by nations and governments? How do refugee crises arise and what can be done to aid refugees in resettlement? What’s the history of refugee resettlement in the Midwest? These are just a few of the questions WorldCanvass guests will address on the April 5 program “Refugees in the Heartland.” The program takes place from 5-7 p.m. in the Senate Chamber of Old Capitol Museum and is free and open to the public.