Students are invited to attend a Strengths Finder Session on Sunday, September 20, at 2:00 p.m. at the Newman Center, 1219 Elmwood Avenue. A certified leader will guide attendees through the Strengths Finder assessment and explain where each individual student excels, as well as how to use their gifts in their careers, relationships, and daily life.

Students pay $10 for the cost of the book. To RSVP or for more information, please call 882-1080 or e-mail newmancenter@buffalostate.edu.

Laurie Buonanno, professor of political science, and Anthony Neal, associate professor of political science, will present two case studies on Thursday, September 17, during Bengal Pause (12:15 to 1:30 p.m.) in Classroom Building B228: (1) Rowan County (Kentucky) Clerk Kim Davis and Same-Sex Marriage; and (2) NYS Clerks and NYS Safe Act (2nd Amendment). Discussion will follow.

The latest issue of the Journal of Inquiry and Action in Education (vol. 6, no. 3) is now posted. This peer-reviewed issue highlights collaborative research undertaken by several graduate students. Contributors from other university faculty members and partner schools are also featured.

Buffalo State will promote several events in observation of Constitution and Citizenship Day on Thursday, September 17. Campus and off-campus events include the following:

Municipalities and the Constitution
Joseph Golombek, Buffalo Common Council North District representative, will present "Municipalities and the Constitution" from 12:30 to 1:45 p.m. in Classroom Building C214.

The Constitution and Drug Control Policies
Jonathon Lindner, lecturer in the Health, Nutrition, and Dietetics Department and the Center for Health and Social Research, will present "The Constitution and Drug Control Policies" from 12:15 to 1:30 p.m. in Classroom Building C122.

Public Managers, Personal Values, and Constitutional Values
Laurie Buonanno, professor of political science, and Anthony Neal, associate professor of political science, will present two case studies during Bengal Pause (12:15 to 1:30 p.m.) in Classroom Building B228: (1) Rowan County (Kentucky) Clerk Kim Davis and Same-Sex Marriage; and (2) NYS Clerks and NYS Safe Act (2nd Amendment). Discussion will follow. (Submitted by: Amitra A. Wall)

Money in Politics: How Can We Take Back Our Democracy?
The League of Women Voters of Buffalo Niagara invites Buffalo State students to a presentation by Zephyr Teachout, "Money in Politics: How Can We Take Back Our Democracy?" at WNED-TV, 140 Lower Terrace, Buffalo, NY. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.; program starts at 7:00 p.m. This event is free and open to the public. Registration is required. More information is available on the league's website.

The fourth biennial STEM conference, “Pathways and Partnerships in STEM for a Global New York,” hosted by the SUNY Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, will take place on Thursday and Friday, October 1 and 2, at the Albany Marriott, 189 Wolf Road, Albany, NY 12205.  

Featured keynote speakers will be Freeman A. Hrabowski III, president of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, and author of Holding Fast to Dreams: Empowering Youth from the Civil Rights Crusade to STEM Achievement, and Jill Bargonetti, professor of biological sciences at Hunter College and chair of the molecular, cellular, and developmental Ph.D. subprogram in biology at the CUNY Graduate Center. Bargonetti is a preeminent breast cancer researcher whose commitment as a role model to underrepresented students has guided her career.

This preliminary agenda (PDF) provides an overview of the conference schedule. For more information, please visit the conference website to view the full abstracts for all workshops and poster presentations.

Two plenary panels are also on the agenda:

• Undergraduate Research Experiences across SUNY, moderated by Joseph Skrivanek, professor of chemistry at Purchase College
• Empire State Learning Network Regional Hubs: Vision and Value, moderated by Nina Leonhardt, associate dean at Suffolk County Community College

Don’t miss this exciting opportunity to learn about SUNY STEM programs, high-impact teaching and learning strategies, and programs on recruitment, retention, transitions, partnerships, and collaborations.

Please register for this event by Thursday, September 24, and make your hotel reservation at the Albany Marriott before the Thursday, September 17, deadline. SUNY has arranged for a block of rooms under the group name 2015 SUNY STEM Conference at the state rate of $111. Please make your reservation directly with the hotel by phone at (800) 228-9290 or (518) 458-8444.

Please e-mail sunystem2015@suny.edu with questions.

Deborah Moeckel, assistant provost for community college education at SUNY System Administration, will discuss institution-level learning goals and Middle States Commission on Higher Education requirements during a one-day workshop on Tuesday, October 6, from 9:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at SUNY Geneseo.

This workshop on enhancing excellence will focus on emergent themes in accreditation. The program will also feature a panel of experts who will discuss accreditation experiences: preparation, document development, and site visits. Small-group breakouts will allow participates to discuss experiences with colleagues in greater depth and better enable the SUNY Council on Assessment (SCoA) to provide structural support to member institutions.

Participants will

• increase their awareness of institution-level learning goals and Middle States standards;
• learn about institutional experiences and best practices in assessment, accreditation, and compliance;
• network and explore connections to support for preparation, document development, and site visits;
• share assessment and accreditation experiences.  

This event is sponsored by SCoA in partnership with the SUNY Center for Professional Development (CPD). Buffalo State is a member of the CPD. A certain number of CPD points are reserved for this event. Please contact Melaine Kenyon, director of instructional technology, for more information.

Registration fees (includes a light breakfast and lunch):
CPD member $25
Non-CPD member $30
Non-SUNY $45 (space permitting)

Please register online.

Michael Niman, professor of communication, will present "American Culture Explained" on Thursday, September 17, from 12:10 to 1:20 p.m. in Assembly Hall 1 of the Campbell Student Union. This lecture is given at the invitation of Buffalo State’s International Student Advisory Council. The lecture is free, and everyone is welcome.

For more information, please contact Jean F. Gounard, director of international student affairs, 878-5331.

Buffalo State is pleased to announce the Diversity Abroad Honors Scholarship Program. Five awards of $1,000 each will go to Buffalo State students who meet the following criteria and who wish to study abroad.

Academic Criteria:

• Applicants must be enrolled in a degree program with a declared major at a sponsoring SUNY campus;
• Rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors are eligible to compete for travel awards;
• Applicants must be registered full time and possess a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5.
• Transfer students will become eligible to study abroad during the second semester of enrollment in a SUNY two-year or baccalaureate program

Financial Criteria:

• Candidates are not required to demonstrate financial need.

Additional Criteria:

• Candidates must be United States citizens, permanent resident aliens, and New York State residents.
• While all students are encouraged to apply, students from underrepresented groups and students applying for experiences in countries where English is not the primary language will receive priority.

Application Process:

• Applicants must complete the “Student Information” section of the Diversity Abroad Honors Scholarship Program (DAHSP) form, available in South Wing 410 or by e-mail from Melissa Conwell.
• Applicants must submit a one-to-two-page essay describing the purpose of the study-abroad experience and what they hope to achieve (examples include language acquisition, cultural immersion, cultural competencies in a global setting, STEM research project).
• Students must include one faculty or department recommendation (using the approved form, available in South Wing 430 or via e-mail.

Students must submit completed application packets containing all of the above materials to Melissa Conwell by e-mail, by fax (878-3054), or in person in South Wing 430 by Friday, September 25. Incomplete application packets will not be considered.

For more information, please visit the International Education website.

Diana Aga, Henry M. Woodburn Professor of Chemistry at UB, will present "Treatment of Pharmaceuticals and Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals in Municipal Wastewater and Animal Waste" at 12:30 p.m. Thursday, September 17, in Classroom B119. This seminar series is sponsored by the Faculty-Student Association. An abstract of her talk appears below.

Abstract
Residues of pharmaceuticals and endocrine-disrupting chemicals are introduced into the environment via a number of pathways, primarily from discharges of wastewater treatment plants or from land application of animal wastes. Results from our studies on advanced oxidation processes to remove pharmaceutical contaminants in municipal wastewater, and the fate of antibiotics and estrogens in animal wastewater treatment systems, will be presented. In addition, the biodegradation of natural estrogens from dairy manure, and the changes in their endocrine-disrupting potential during anaerobic digestion, will be discussed. The analytical challenges involved in identifying and quantifying these contaminants and their transformation products in environmental studies will be highlighted in this presentation.

Please join Chartwells on Thursday, September 17, for Dine with the Directors to give feedback (both positive and negative), generate ideas for future events, and give any other comments you might have. We will supply a free meal to those who participate.