Think! Talk: "How to Search for Extraterrestrial Life"

The Center for Values and Social Policy in the CU Boulder Philosophy Department invites you to a public talk by Carol Cleland Thursday, Oct. 26.

The question "what is life?" is foundational to biology and especially important to astrobiologists, who may one day encounter utterly alien life, and scientists trying to understand how life arises from nonliving chemicals under natural conditions.

The most popular approach to answering this question is to provide a “definition” of life. Cleland will explain why this approach is mistaken and sketch a strategy for searching for alien forms of life without the guidance of a definition or universal theory of life, closing with an application to NASA’s fledgling search for extraterrestrial life.

Cleland is a full professor of philosophy at CU Boulder. She has written on the nature and origins of life in several manuscripts and a book, The Quest for a Universal Theory of Life: Searching for life as we don’t know it. She also is affiliated with the NASA Astrobiology Institute and is a member of CU’s Center for Astrobiology. Most recently, she was named director of the new Center for the Study of Origins.

Thursday, Oct. 26, 7:30 p.m.
Hellems Arts and Sciences, room 199

“Anti-Plagiarism: Practical Strategies & Resources” by Young Kyung Min

This year, the Writing Center is offering a new series of events to support international students' academic needs. We cordially invite you to our first presentation about proper citation and avoiding plagiarism:

Writing conventions differ from culture to culture. Many international students find it challenging to use sources responsibly and effectively for their writing assignments. This workshop discusses practical strategies that students can use to avoid plagiarism and to improve their ability to write with sources for U.S. academic writing.

Snacks will be served. We hope to see you there!

Thursday, Oct. 26, 1-2 p.m.
University Memorial Center, room 384

Cannabis: A Visual Perspective features a juried selection of botanical illustrations presented by the Rocky Mountain Society of Botanical Artists rendered in watercolor, colored pencil, print and mixed media. The exhibit examines three species and seven subspecies of the genus Cannabis and spotlights the groundbreaking research conducted at CU Boulder. 
 
The CU Museum of Natural History is located in the Henderson Building at 15th Street and Broadway, open every day. Admission is free. For more information and upcoming programs call 303-492-6892 or visit the website.
 
Photo: Botanical illustration, Cannabis sativa by Ida Pemberton, circa 1940. Courtesy of the CU Museum of Natural History.

Are you a CMCI student interested in earning academic credit through a summer international internship? Attend the international internship interest meeting to find out more.

Wednesday, Nov. 1, noon
Armory, room 218 

Make Mondays special! $8 per person for two hours of unlimited bowling from 6 to 11 p.m. Shoes and a fountain drink included! 

Come alone or with friends or family. Everyone is welcome. This is the best deal!  

Fall dates:
Mondays, Aug. 28 to Dec. 18  
Except Sept. 4, Nov. 20

Check out all of The Connection’s weekly events | The Connection Bowling, Billiards & Games, UMC first floor

"Leveraging Multiple Forms of Expertise in Museum and Community-Based Collaborations" by Molly Shea, Assistant Professor, San Francisco State University
 
Shea will explore how museums can collaborate and incorporate community expertise (informal education) into research and programs to better reflect the communities they serve. Themes include: using community resources to design transformational spaces that reflect the identity of youth in their community; engaging families in design and implementation of STEM-rich making projects; and how flexible, process-driven projects allow youth and adults to improvise and develop STEM practices that arise through collaborative design.

Shea holds a PhD in education and MBA from CU Boulder. She is also the former director of the Center for Informal Learning in Schools at the Exploratorium in San Francisco.

Learning in Informal Settings is an innovative seminar series covering a variety of topics, such as learning through making, interactional studies and contemplative studies of the natural world. All lectures are free and open to faculty, alumni, students, educators and the public. Seating is limited.

For more information and upcoming seminar programs visit the CU Museum of Natural History online or call 303-492-6892.

Thursday, Oct. 26, 3:30-4:30 p.m.
Henderson Building, CU Museum of Natural History, Paleontology Hall

The nomination process for the 2018 Regent Awards closes Nov. 1. These awards include Honorary Degrees, University Medals and Distinguished Service Awards. The individuals who receive these awards are truly remarkable.

The awardees are honored at the commencement ceremony in May each year.

A hearing will be held at 1 p.m. Monday, Oct. 30, in Denver to clarify and/or modify classified staff jobs, compensation and separation rules to clarify language or to comport with best practices.

For full information on the basis and purpose of the hearing, see the Proposed Statement of Basis and Purpose PDF.

For full information on the hearing, how to comment on the proposed changes or for special accommodations to participate in the hearing, see the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking PDF.

For a copy of the redlined proposed changes or a copy of how the proposed rules would read in final form, please see the appropriate PDF links here.

Monday, Oct. 30, 1 p.m.
1525 Sherman St., Denver, CO 80203
First floor, room 103

Are you planning and developing a crowdfunding campaign and need some help? Work with the CU Boulder crowdfunding coordinator to get your questions answered, feedback on your page, and general crowdfunding work done in a workshop-style setting.

Thursday, Oct. 26, 1-2 p.m.
University Memorial Center, room 382

Upcoming sessions: Nov. 9, Dec. 7, Dec. 13

French Connections Global Seminar

Spend two weeks in June this summer studying France-American relations in Bordeaux, France! This 3-credit course is taught by CU Boulder Professor and International Affairs Director Tom Zeiler. Study in beautiful Bordeaux through lectures, guest speakers and excursions around Bordeaux. 

There are extra scholarships available for this program! Learn more at the upcoming meeting. 

Thursday, Oct. 26, 5 p.m.
Center for Community, room N215

"Nuclear North Korea: Perspectives from Science and Journalism"

Join the Nov. 8 panel discussion featuring Jerry Peterson, Professor Emeritus of Physics; Hun Shik Kim, associate professor of journalism in the College of Media, Communication and Information; and Brian Toon, professor in the Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences and LASP.

The event is free and open to the public.

Wednesday, Nov. 8, 4–5:30 p.m.
Eaton Humanities, room 250

The CU Homecoming game against the Cal Bears is set for noon this Saturday, Oct. 28, at Folsom Field. Saturday is also Ralphie's 50th Anniversary Celebration Game.

Single game tickets are now on sale. Purchase here.

The CU International Film Series presents The Road with introduction by Tim Oakes, professor of geography and director of the Center for Asian Studies.

The New Zealand International Film Festival said of the film:

"For almost four years, Chinese filmmaker Zhang Zanbo documented the construction of a massive highway through a rural district in Hunan Province. Organizing his often startling up-close footage into chapters, he reveals a project rife with corruption, violence and cynicism . . . Dislocated peasants see their homes literally dynamited and clamor for compensation. Migrant workers regularly risk their lives for paydays that never seem to arrive . . . Director Zhang has himself suggested that the title might not refer just to the Xu-Huai Highway, but also to the road taken by China."

This event is open to the public. Tickets go on sale 30 minutes before showtime. General admission is $8; tickets for CU Boulder students with a Buff OneCard and senior citizens are $7. We give a $1 discount to anyone with a bike helmet, and you can see movies for free on your birthday or if you are assisting someone in a wheelchair. Credit cards are accepted at the door. If you want to be guaranteed a seat, please arrive early. 

Thursday, Nov. 9, 7:30 p.m.
Muenzinger Auditorium

Show your skills at next week's 8-ball billiards tournament at The Connection! 

$5 entry fee. Sign-up starts at 6 p.m at The Connection front desk. Play begins at 7 p.m. Tournaments run in either double elimination or round-robin format. BCA rules apply. Prizes for top finishers!

Upcoming dates:
8-ball: Oct. 25, Nov. 8
9-ball: Dec. 6

TEDxMileHigh: Wonder will feature three live sessions of speakers and an interactive exhibits lounge. The event will spark your imagination and stir your sense of adventure as Colorado's brightest thinkers and doers activate engagement with big ideas, from science and technology to education and design.

The Nov. 11 event will feature two CU Boulder affiliates: Professor of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences Brian Toon and Growing Up Boulder Program Director Mara Mintzer.

In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a self-organized program of local events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience.

Tickets and event details are available at tedxmilehigh.com.

Saturday, Nov. 11
Colorado Convention Center