Please join the Great Lakes Center for the seminar “Science and the Spirit in Research with Turtles: A Native American Connection with and Learning from Turtles,” presented by John Volpe on Tuesday, October 7, from 12:15 to 1:30 p.m. in Science Building 272. Students, staff, and faculty are welcome. Light refreshments will be served.

The Small Grants Program provides up to $400 to assist students in carrying out their research, scholarly, or creative activities during the academic year; up to $600 may be requested for a single project that involves two or more students. The funding is intended to help defray the cost of travel, supplies, and other materials necessary to conduct a research, scholarly, or creative project. It is not intended for travel to a conference to present research findings or as salary for the student(s).

Students receiving small grant awards will be required to participate in the 17th annual Student Research and Creativity Celebration scheduled for Friday and Saturday, May 1 and 2, 2015. The deadline for submission of applications by students is Wednesday, October 8 (mentors have until Friday, October 10, to complete their portion of the application). Applications for the Small Grants Program are completed online. For information about other funding opportunities during the 2014–2015 academic year, please visit the Undergraduate Research website.

Because of a conflict in schedules, the Citizen Preparedness Training scheduled for last week was canceled with little notice. CERT apologizes for the inconvenience and confusion this caused. CERT has rescheduled the workshop for Friday, October 10, at 9:30 a.m. in Butler Library 210.

The presentation will give a comprehensive overview on how to prepare for, respond to, and recover from natural and man-made disasters. The session will provide information on types of common disasters; ways to prepare as an individual, family, and community member; and what to do when disaster strikes.

Please register online through the CyberQuad Workshop Registration System.

William Kaputa, a master's degree candidate in forensic science at Buffalo State, will present his master's defense seminar, "Suppression of Neurodegenerative Symptoms via Suppressor of Levy Mutations in Drosophila melanogaster," at 12:30 p.m. Thursday, October 2, in Classroom Building B119. Light refreshments will be served before the seminar. This event is supported by the Faculty-Student Association.

Abstract
Mutation of the levy gene on chromosome 2 of Drosophila melanogaster has previously been shown to cause temperature-induced paralysis and neurodegeneration. The discovery of Suppressor of levy gene, also on chromosome 2, has been shown to block the effects of the levy mutation and rescue the wild-type phenotype. The goal of this research was to determine if Su(levy) mutation alleviates the effects of neurodegeneration caused by genes associated with Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. The mutant genes used were hLRRK2, α-Synuclein, DJ1-α, Pink, Parkin, and Aβ-42. To determine this, flies carrying Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) and Parkinson’s Disease (PD) genes were crossed with Su(levy) flies to produce progeny carrying both genes. The lifespan and locomotor abilities of these progeny were then tested and compared to control and mutant flies. The flies were also tested for their response to environmental toxins introduced to their diet. Our results show that the Suppressor of levy mutation plays a considerable role in alleviating neurodegenerative symptoms in Drosophila. Flies carrying Su(levy) show a significant improvement in lifespan, climbing ability, resistance to paralysis, and resistance to environmental toxins.

The Burchfield Penney Art Center at Buffalo State will present The Liaisons Project, a landmark commissioning and concert project conceived by concert pianist Anthony de Mare, for two performances Friday, October 10, and Saturday, October 11, at 8:00 p.m.

The project invites 36 of the world's foremost contemporary composers to "re-imagine" a song by legendary musical theater composer Stephen Sondheim. The result is a brand-new world-class piano repertory (Liaisons: Re-Imagining Sondheim from the Piano) that reveals Sondheim’s influence across multiple genres and generations. Composers hail from seven countries, range in age from 32 to 76, and span the worlds of classical, pop, jazz, opera, musical theater, and film.

Since 2011, de Mare has been touring iterations of Liaisons across the country to widespread critical and popular acclaim. The first 32 pieces received their New York City premieres over the span of two sold-out concerts at Symphony Space in April 2012 and March 2013, receiving rave reviews from Anthony Tommasini of the New York Times and others. Sondheim also gave a live interview at each concert.

At its essence, Liaisons is an homage, but unlike any other Sondheim tribute to date, its focus is exclusively on the music. The project leaves no doubt that, aside from his genius as a lyricist, Stephen Sondheim is one of the century's greatest and most influential composers.

Over the past two years, Liaisons programs have played to sold-out crowds at concert halls and universities in major cities from Chicago and San Francisco to Portland, Kansas City, Fort Saskatchwan, and Fort Worth. Performed exclusively by de Mare through 2016, individual pieces can be combined to form an infinite variety of concert, recital, and residency programs. Liaisons will ultimately be released as a 3-CD recording, currently in process, as well as a published collection.

For those new to Sondheim’s work, Liaisons offers a delightful introduction; for those already familiar, the context of a concert hall inspires new insights and appreciations.

Tickets are $15 for Burchfield Penney members and students, and $25 for "not yet" members. Call ext. 6011 or visit www.burchfieldpenney.org for tickets and information. RSVP on Facebook.

The program at the Burchfield Penney is as follows (all works based on material by Stephen Sondheim):

Nico Muhly: "Color and Light" (2012) (Sunday in the Park with George)

Fred Hersch: "No One Is Alone" (2010) (Into the Woods)

Nils Vigeland: "Merrily We Roll Along" (2011) ("Merrily We Roll Along")

Duncan Sheik: "Johanna in Space" (2014) ("Johanna," Sweeney Todd)

Wynton Marsalis: "That Old Piano Roll" (2014) (Follies)

Eric Rockwell: "You Could Drive a Person Crazy" (2010/2014) (Company)

Bernadette Speach: "In and Out of Love" ("Liaisons" and "Send in the Clowns," A Little Night Music)

Steve Reich: "Finishing the Hat: Two Pianos" (2010) (Sunday in the Park with George)

INTERMISSION

Film Interlude: On-stage interview with Stephen Sondheim, conducted by Mark Eden Horowitz at Liaisons’ NYC premiere (Symphony Space April 2012)

Andy Akiho: "Into the Woods" (2013) (Into the Woods)

Thomas Newman: "Not While I’m Around" (2012) ("Not While I’m Around," Sweeney Todd)

Ricardo Lorenz: "The Worst [Empanadas] in London" (2011, rev. 2014) ("The Worst Pies in London" and "A Little Priest," Sweeney Todd)

Paul Moravec: "I Think about You" (2010) ("Losing My Mind," Follies)

Jake Heggie: "I’m Excited. No You’re Not" (2010) ("A Weekend in the Country," A Little Night Music)

The Burchfield Penney Art Center at Buffalo State will present a special screening of Donn Rogosin’s There Was Always Sun Shining Someplace: Life in the Negro Baseball Leagues on Thursday, October 2 at 7:00 p.m.

The public is invited to join the Burchfield Penney's executive director, Anthony Bannon, and board member LeRoi Johnson in welcoming the film’s creator, Donn Rogosin, a writer, producer, television network executive, and head of the independent production company Donn Rogosin Productions.

The event, free and open to public, is part of Ideas Prime, a series of screenings, lectures, and conversations to exchange ideas and understand how local and global issues are interrelated. The center will host a wide range of presentations with topics and panelists each Thursday designed to bring people from diverse backgrounds together to lead, build, and foster positive change.

In 1947, Jackie Robinson broke baseball’s color barrier and became a hero for black and white Americans, yet Robinson was a Negro League player before he integrated Major League Baseball. Negro League ballplayers had been thrilling black fans since 1920. Among them were the legendary pitchers Smoky Joe Williams, whose fastball seemed to “come off a mountain top”; Satchel Paige, the ageless wonder who pitched for five decades; and such hitters as Josh Gibson and Buck Leonard, “the Ruth and Gehrig of the Negro Leagues.”

There Was Always Sun Shining Someplace chronicles the rich history of the Negro Baseball Leagues that flourished before Jackie Robinson integrated the major leagues in 1947. The exploits of these talented athletes and the times when baseball was a segregated sport are vividly brought to life. The film contains rare historical footage showing the ballplayers as they traveled the back roads of America, the Caribbean, Mexico, and Latin America.

Activities also include a presentation by local artist John Baker on Bye-Gone-Era, his outstanding collection of paintings on canvas reflecting the nostalgic history of Negro League Baseball. Baker’s works of art embody the spirit and heritage of the Negro Leagues, commemorating their historical significance in our past. Aside from the artistic merits, these paintings are a history lesson celebrating athletic accomplishments during the time of a racially divided culture in society. Each painting is part of the story that collectively enlightens audiences.

A graduate of the University of California at Santa Cruz and the University of Texas, Donn Rogosin helped organize a Negro Leagues exhibit for the Smithsonian Institution and is the author of Invisible Men. His public television work includes the documentaries East Wind, West Wind: Pearl Buck, the Woman Who Embraced the World (1992), There Was Always Sun Shining Someplace (1982), and Satchel Paige: Defying Time (2008) as well as a producing credit on Ballad of a Mountain (2000) for the American Experience.

On behalf of the Buffalo State Campus Intercultural Committee, the International Student Affairs Office is delighted to invite all internationally minded faculty, staff, and students to attend our well-known weekly International Social Hour, which allows all international students, scholars, and their friends to meet informally. This special get-together will take place Thursday, October 9, from 12:15 to 1:30 p.m. in Assembly Hall 1 of the Campbell Student Union.

The guest speaker that day will be James D. Eiss, Esq., immigration lawyer, who will present "What Should Internationals Do after School? Work Opportunities in the U.S."

Coffee, tea, and other light refreshments will be graciously shared. Looking forward to seeing you on the 9th.

TIAA-CREF will offer the following Financial Essentials Workshops at Buffalo State during the month of October:

Tuesday, October 7, Noon–1:00 p.m.
Charting Your Course: A Financial Guide for Women
Evaluate your financial health and set realistic goals.

Tuesday, October 14, Noon–1:00 p.m.
The Starting Line: Why and How Retirement Saving Should Begin Now
Learn the benefits of contributing to a retirement savings plan early in your career.

Tuesday, October 21, 11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
Paying Yourself: Income Options in Retirement
Understand the basic rules that govern the most common retirement accounts.

Tuesday, October 28, Noon–1:00 p.m.
Online Tools: Connect to Financial Clarity
Learn how to use online tools to potentially create a better financial life, now and in retirement.

All workshops will be held in Butler Library 210. Lunch will be provided.

Gain a better understanding of your financial future. Reserve a seat today. Register online or call (800) 732-8353.

The Burchfield Penney Art Center will open the exhibition Burchfield Botanicals for watercolorists to paint in the gallery on Friday, October 30, from 12:15 to 1:15 p.m. The featured painting will be On Violets and Arrowheads.

Novice paint sets will be available for a $5 rental fee. Participants must check in at admissions before heading to the gallery to sketch, draw, and paint. Only watercolor paint and watercolor pencils will be allowed. Water must be kept in a brush container. Stools will be provided. The workshop is free with gallery admission.

Between the years 1908 and 1911, Charles E. Burchfield created nearly 500 botanical sketches that show the different wildflowers and plants he found in the forests and fields around his childhood home in Salem, Ohio. These sketches are an important document of Burchfield’s early fascination with the natural world.

The exhibition Burchfield Botanicals features Burchfield's masterworks, paired with these botanical sketches and objects from the Marchand Wildflower Collection at the Buffalo Museum of Science. Paul Marchand created "scientifically accurate and artistically superb casts of flowers and mushrooms" as well as dioramas for the museum throughout his career.

For further information, please contact Kathy G. Shiroki, ext. 3549.

On select Fridays, the Burchfield Penney Art Center will open the exhibition Burchfield Botanicals to watercolorists to paint in the gallery. This Friday, October 17, from 12:15 to 1:15 p.m., the featured painting will be On Hepaticas and Spring Beauties.

Novice paint sets will be available for a $5 rental fee. Participants must check in at admissions before heading to the gallery to sketch, draw, and paint. Only watercolor paint and watercolor pencils will be allowed. Water must be kept in a brush container. Stools will be provided. The workshop is free with gallery admission.

Between the years 1908 and 1911, Charles E. Burchfield created nearly 500 botanical sketches that show the different wildflowers and plants he found in the forests and fields around his childhood home in Salem, Ohio. These sketches are an important document of Burchfield’s early fascination with the natural world.

The exhibition Burchfield Botanicals features Burchfield's masterworks, paired with these botanical sketches and objects from the Marchand Wildflower Collection at the Buffalo Museum of Science. Paul Marchand created "scientifically accurate and artistically superb casts of flowers and mushrooms" as well as dioramas for the museum throughout his career.

Upcoming:
Friday, October 31, 12:15–1:15 p.m. On Violets and Arrowheads

For further information, please contact Kathy G. Shiroki, ext. 3549.