CBS Associate Dean for Research finalists
Three final candidates for associate dean for research will be on campus for interviews over the next two weeks. Each will give a public presentation entitled "The Future of Biology” and answer questions. The search committee, which is headed by Claudia Neuhauser, professor and head of EEB, encourages faculty, staff, and students to attend. Evaluation forms will be available at each presentation.
Virginia Seybold, professor
Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota
October 19, 2004, 10:00 to 11:30 a.m.
Cargill Building, seminar room 105, St. Paul campus
Huber Warner, associate director
National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health
October 21,11:30 – 12:50 p.m.
2-520 Moos Tower, Minneapolis campus
Sondra Lazarowitz, professor
Department of Plant Pathology, Cornell University
October 28, 3:00 – 4:30 p.m.
Cargill Building, seminar room 105, St. Paul campus
Computational Analysis of Biological Networks – lectures and graduate seminar
All faculty, staff, and students are invited to attend a series of lectures by invited speakers on computational analysis of biological networks offered through departments this fall. The schedule is as follows:
“Genetic Network Modeling of Flowering Time Control”
Tuesday, October 26, 3:30 p.m.,105 Cargill
Steve Welch (Kansas State University)
Plant Biological Sciences Colloquium Series
“Computational Approaches to Complex Ecological Networks Elucidate ‘Devious Strategies’ for Stabilizing Diversity”
Wednesday, November 10, 4:00 p.m., 335 Borlaug
Neo Martinez (Pacific Ecoinformatics and Computational Ecology Lab)
Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior Department Seminars
“Cell Signaling”
Tuesday, November 30, 1:25 p.m., B-75 Amundson
Doug Lauffenburger (MIT)
Chemical Engineering and Materials Science Department Seminars
The lectures, which will be continued next semester, are coordinated by Claudia Neuhauser, Fumi Katagiri, and Neil Olszewski, with a grant from the Digital Technology Center. The grant also supports a graduate research training program in Computational Biological Networks (EEB 8990) which is held Mondays, 11:35 a.m. to 12:45 p.m., in 505 Ecology. Faculty, as well as graduate students, are welcome to attend this program, which runs parallel to the lectures by invited speakers. EEB 8990 focuses on reading and discussion of papers written by guest lecturers.
National Center for Biofuels Research envisioned for Minnesota
Governor Tim Pawlenty has stated his support to establish the University of Minnesota as a National Center of Excellence for Biofuels Research as part of a plan to reduce Minnesota's dependence on imported oil, strengthen the state's economy, and protect the environment.
Planning for the National Center for Biofuels Research is being led by CBS Dean Robert Elde, chair of the University’s Initiative for Renewable Energy and the Environment (IREE); Richard Hemmingsen, director of IREE; and Gene Hugoson, Commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Agriculture. Their goal is to use Minnesota's natural resources and research expertise to develop and commercialize new biofuels and bio-based products and diversify and strengthen the state’s rural economies while increasing energy security and reliability. The center would form strong partnerships among academic, private, and government entities such as the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, Colorado.
Pawlenty's plan also called for doubling the amount of ethanol (from 10 to 20 percent) required in gasoline, reducing state gas government consumption by 50 percent, and allowing hybrid vehicles to use lanes for higher occupancy vehicles. He outlined his plan at a meeting held on September 27.
IREE Research Symposium is November 18
The Initiative for Renewable Energy and the Environment (IREE) will hold its first annual research symposium on Thursday, November 18 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in Cowles Auditorium and the adjacent atrium at the Humphrey Center. The event will include presentations of IREE research projects and recommendations from Energy Alley and the Minnesota Environmental Initiative for Minnesota’s renewable energy research priorities. Watch your e-mail for details.
Nature of Life ads in print and on the air
Ads about the CBS Nature of Life program will appear in print and on the radio through October and November as part of a University advertising campaign. Look for print ads in Minnesota magazine, Minnesota Law and Politics, Minnesota Monthly, and Minneapolis-St. Paul and displays in bus shelters. An NOL radio spot by President Bruininks will run on WCCO during the morning drive and on KSTP during afternoon drive time. WCCO is 830 AM and KSTP is 1500 AM.
CBS faculty named Education Fellows by National Academy of Sciences
The National Academy of Sciences has named Robin Wright, Mark Decker, and Sue Wick Education Fellows in the Life Sciences for completing a summer institute on fostering innovative approaches to teaching undergraduate biology. The three CBS faculty were among 39 fellows from 20 research-intensive universities selected to attend the summer institute. The institute grew out of a recommendation in “BIO 2010: Transforming Undergraduate Education for Future Research Biologists”published by the NAS Research Council last year that called for changes in the way college biology is taught. The 2004 summer institute focused on how to improve large introductory biology courses. Participants developed teachable units and discussed how to encourage colleagues to adopt new teaching practices, among other topics. The program was held in August at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. Information about applying for next summer's institute is available at http://www.AcademiesSummerInstitute.org.
October is National Work and Family Month
October is National Work and Family Month. Are you balancing job demands with your personal and family life to maintain quality in your work productivity as well as harmony in your personal relationships? This is a challenge with our busy lives today, but one worth managing effectively. Here are some tips to help:
-
FOCUS ON PRIORITIES. Plan your week. Make a commitment to accomplish your priority tasks by the end of each week. Eliminate unnecessary tasks.
-
QUALITY TIME. Set aside a specific time period each day, or even once a week that is regularly devoted to your family members. Quality of time, not quantity, is more effective for maintaining good relationships.
-
Try FLEXIBLE WORK HOURS – Check out the CBS Policy on Work Hours and Flexible schedules listed on the CBS Web site at http://cbs.umn.eduunder Resources for Alumni & Staff/Policies & Governance/CBS Human Resources Policies.
Remember, WORK TO LIVE, don’t LIVE TO WORK!
--Barb Theno, Director of Human Resources
Open enrollment begins October 16
It’s OPEN ENROLLMENT time for your University of Minnesota employee benefits. This is the time of year when you can change, add, or waive employee benefit plan options. A big change this year is ONLINE enrollment. Here’s what you need to know:
-
Open Enrollment is October 16 to November 15. If you plan to make a change, you must do so online and within that time frame.
-
On October 4, you’ll receive an e-mail with instructions on how to access the benefits self-service site to review your current benefits information online.
-
By mid-October, you will receive the Open Enrollment Guide via campus mail. It will include a worksheet for you to gather the information to make benefit elections online.
-
Additional information is available on the Employee Benefits Web site at www.umn.edu/ohr/eb. Questions should be directed to the Employee Benefits Service Center at 612-624-9090 or 800-756-2363.
Also, you may want to check out the annual Employee Health and Benefits Fair, sponsored by Employee Benefits and Boynton Health Service. This will be held October 26 in the St. Paul Student Center and October 27 in Coffman Memorial Union. This is a great opportunity to talk to health and retirement plan representatives about your plan options, visit with representatives of University departments and the community about other benefits, and check out wellness activities.
Civil Service staff development funds
Staff development funds are available for distribution to non-bargaining Civil Service staff members who are employed at least 75 percent time. The fund reimburses personal out-of-pocket expenses for registration fees for a seminar, workshop, conference or course. Applicants may apply for one grant of up to $100 per year.
Bob Elde
