Host Joan Kjaer and her guests on the next WorldCanvass will explore the age of the Anthropocene through the lens of energy, investigating the global environmental transformation effected by humans’ astonishing technological achievements in the search for greater creature comfort. WorldCanvass begins at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, March 3, at FilmScene, 118 East College Street. Admission is free and open to the public.

The South Asian Studies Program (SASP) at the University of Iowa will kick off its spring seminar series with a talk by Dr. Scott Levi titled "Whither the Silk Road? The View from Early Modern India" on Monday, February 16, at 4:30 p.m. in 1117 University Capitol Centre. The event is free and open to the public. Chai and samosas will be served.

Since the start of the protest movement widely known as the Arab Spring, in 2011, conditions in most Arab countries have spiraled out of control. With the notable exception of Tunisia, which just held its last round of successful parliamentarian and presidential elections, other Arab countries that were affected by the protest movement have fallen into a vicious cycle of violence that is threatening other countries in Africa, Asia and Europe.

The next WorldCanvass will explore the complicated and controversial issues surrounding the legality and use of tobacco and marijuana with a special focus on the tension between personal liberty and the public good. Host Joan Kjaer will moderate the conversation with guests from the fields of dentistry, psychiatry, pharmacy, public health, and law. The February 3 program begins at 5 p.m. at FilmScene and is free and open to the public

When retired faculty member Nancy Hauserman was a student, study abroad programs were not yet common. The concept has gained prominence as a way to learn about the global economy as well as different cultures. Now, a growing fund is making it possible for more students than ever to benefit from these pivotal journeys. From 1976 to 2013, Hauserman served the Tippie College in various roles, including teaching in the International MBA Program and CIMBA. While serving as associate dean of the Undergraduate Program, she helped start the undergraduate Winter Session course in London in 2000. “When students go overseas — whether for a week, semester, or year — you can see the positive impact it has on their lives when they return,” Nancy says.