The ceramics program at Buffalo State welcomes visiting artist Doug Peltzman on October 12 and 13, with a demonstration today from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. and artist talk at 5:30 p.m. in Upton Hall 128. All are welcome.

Mr. Peltzman is a studio potter living and working in Shokan, New York. He makes one-of-a-kind handmade porcelain and earthenware pottery for the kitchen and home. His pieces incorporate a wide variety of influence, which take the form of highly crafted functional and decorative objects. He received his B.F.A. in ceramics from SUNY New Paltz and his M.F.A. in ceramics from Penn State University. He has been both a juror and curator of national exhibitions and has taught workshops at many art centers and universities across the United States, including Arrowmont, Peters Valley, GoggleWorks, Davis & Elkins College, the University of North Texas, SUNY New Paltz, the Clay Studio, and the Art School at Old Church. He is also a founding member of Objective Clay. His pottery has been featured in many publications and can be found in homes and kitchens across the country.

Are you mentoring a student conducting undergraduate research? If you are, consider taking advantage of two programs offered by the Undergraduate Research Office: the Small Grants Program and the Undergraduate Travel Program. Applications for both programs are currently being accepted.

The deadline for the fall round of the Small Grants Program is Wednesday, October 19, for student input; faculty members have until Friday, October 21, to complete the mentor portion of the online application. This program provides support for students to conduct a project exploring something within or outside their major. The money can cover travel or supplies needed to carry out the project but is not intended for student salary or for students to present their research at a conference. You can read more about this program and review the application on the Undergraduate Research Office website.

Applications for the Undergraduate Travel Program are also being accepted. If you have a student accepted to present at a meeting or conference, display artwork at a juried exhibit, or other similar activity, funding is available to help cover students' expenses to attend meetings, conferences, and art shows. There is no deadline for this program, and applications are reviewed within two weeks of submission. You can access an online travel application on the Undergraduate Research Office website.

Download the flier (184 KB) with information and deadlines for all 2016–2017 undergraduate research programs. More information about undergraduate research funding opportunities can be found on the Programs tab at the top of the UR website.

From the Diversity Program Coordinator
All the Difference, the acclaimed new documentary by Emmy Award–winning director Tod Lending, is the next film in the Beyond Boundaries: Dare to Be Diverse Film Series on Thursday, October 13, from 7:00 to 9:30 p.m. in the Burchfield Penney Art Center's Peter and Elizabeth C. Tower Auditorium. The screening will be followed by a panel discussion featuring Jevon Hunter, Woods-Beals Endowed Chair in the School of Education, and Don Patterson, director of Upward Bound, Precollegiate Programs, and moderated by Danielle Walker from Residence Life.

"The largely invisible and often crushing struggles of young African American men come vividly—and heroically—to life in All the Difference, which traces the paths of two teens from the South Side of Chicago who dream of graduating from college. Statistics predict that Robert and Krishaun will drop out of high school, but they have other plans." (PBS)

Download the flier (PDF, 426 KB).

This event is sponsored by the Buffalo State Equity and Campus Diversity Office, Communication Department, School of Education, Upward Bound, Burchfield Penney Art Center, Residence Life, A.A.M.E.N., Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, and Documentaries with a Point of View (POV).

From the Diversity Program Coordinator
Renowned playwright and poet Michael Reyes will deliver the keynote address, “Mexican/Chicano Identity and History through Spoken Word,” on Thursday, October 13, from 12:15 to 1:30 p.m. in Bulger Communication Center West as part of the annual Hispanic Heritage Month celebration at Buffalo State.

As a motivational speaker and poet, Michael Reyes (PDF, 572 KB) is known for his ability to combine history, current events, and performance into a fusion of education and entertainment. His work acknowledges both the negative conditions in which many Latino youth find themselves in and transforms those experiences into positive images of motivation. Through spoken word and through many of his workshops, he challenges students to critically examine their world. By using his words as a tool for discussion and creativity, his hope is that young people come away with an inspiration to consciously create art and become active agents of change in their community.

This event is sponsored by the Buffalo State Equity and Campus Diversity Office, Student Life, and Adelante Estudiantes Latinos (AEL).

All members of the Teacher Education Unit (TEU) are invited to attend the Teacher Education Council (TEC) meeting on Friday, October 14, from 1:00 to 2:30 p.m. in the Carmine Grande Conference Room, Cleveland Hall 418. This meeting will include an ongoing update on TeachNY and issues with student teaching.

International and Exchange Programs cordially invites you to the fall 2016 seminar presented by the Center for China Studies today, October 11, from 12:15 to 1:30 p.m. in Classroom Building A307. Visiting scholar Hu Kaiwen of South China University of Technology will give us insight into architecture in China, and Liu Yue of Hunan University of Science and Technology will provide an introduction to cultural Guizhou. Please join us for this Chinese cultural experience. Refreshments will be served.

Join the Professional Development Schools Consortium (PDS) at the 2016 Teacher Tailgate—an open house gathering of teacher education students, staff, and faculty that seeks to extend relationships, share information and opportunities, and encourage fun—on Tuesday, October 25, from 3:30 to 5:00 p.m. in the Campbell Student Union Assembly Halls. This event is open to all; advance registration is not necessary.

Through this year's theme In Unity We Teach, In Unity We Learn, participants will explore international opportunities for educators, teacher education organizations and clubs, certification information, graduate teacher education programs, the employment outlook for educators, and more. Food and prizes will be provided.

If you are interested in hosting an information table or have questions, please e-mail the PDS office.

Students, faculty, and staff members interested in the multiple opportunities offered by the Fulbright Program are welcome to attend a conference of the Western New York and Northwestern Pennsylvania Chapter of the Fulbright Association on Friday, October 21, from 11:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. in the Science Hall Commons at Canisius College.

The guest speaker will be Maryam Bibi, founder and chief executive of Khwendo Kor, which focuses on the development of women, children, and strong families in the remote areas of the Northwest Frontier Province (NWFP) and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan. The event is free and open to the public.

For more information, please contact Jean F. Gounard, director of international student affairs and vice president for advocacy of the WNY/NWPA Fulbright Association Chapter, 878-5331.

A new version of Turnitin will be available to instructors beginning January Term 2017. The new version of the service, called Turnitin Feedback Studio, offers all the functionalities of Turnitin but with a simplified, more intuitive interface. Turnitin Feedback Studio will make it faster and easier than ever to promote academic integrity, provide actionable feedback, and evaluate student learning.  

Learn more about the Turnitin Feedback Studio.

If you are new to Turnitin and would like to learn more, please register for one of the following introductory Turnitin workshops:

Turnitin Plagiarism Software
Turnitin is a web-based service instructors may use to deter and detect plagiarism. Instructors can use Turnitin within their Blackboard courses or at Turnitin.com. In this hands-on workshop, you'll learn how to create assignments, interpret originality reports, and provide grades and feedback.

Friday, October 14; 10:00–11:00 a.m.

Thursday, October 20; 2:00–3:00 p.m.

If you are interested in learning more about the new features of the Turnitin Feedback Studio, please register for one of the following sessions: 

What's New in Turnitin: Feedback Studio 

This session will provide you with information about the Turnitin Feedback Studio and will demonstrate how to navigate within the new Feedback Studio interface. 

Wednesday, October 12; 2:00–3:00 p.m.

Monday, October 17; 11:00 a.m.–Noon 

Tuesday, October 25; 1:30–3:00 p.m.

Many of us across campus find ourselves working from home. We use many different tools to accomplish this, and one important tool is our home network and home wireless network. You may have set up your home network with a secure password; however, you are still vulnerable to attacks that can compromise your work and the work of the campus. Learn how to mitigate your risk by reading this SANS article, "The Internet of Things (IoT)" (PDF, 421 KB), about protecting your home network and networked devices.