United Students Government will host its annual spring carnival on Saturday, May 13, from 6:00 to 10:00 p.m. in Lot R-14. Games, rides, and food will be provided for Buffalo State students. Please encourage your students to attend for a fun way to celebrate the end of the academic year!

More information on campus events and student organizations can be found on Bengal Connect.

Instructional Design and Distance Learning (IDDL), in partnership with an individualized studies intern, is conducting a survey that will collect information on instructor usage of D2L Brightspace and campus resources. Instructors who have used Brightspace at Buffalo State are encouraged to anonymously provide feedback of their experience using D2L Brightspace to help IDDL reevaluate its training formatting and adjust its resources.

We would appreciate your taking the time to complete the survey, which should take about five minutes. The survey will run until Wednesday, May 10.  

Any specific questions about Brightspace or this survey can be sent through the IT portal.  

Thank you for your participation.

The Earth Sciences Department and the Whitworth Ferguson Planetarium are excited to announce the 2023 Dr. Jack Mack Lecture in Astronomy and Planetary Science, when Jen Connelly, associate director of the planetarium delivers this year’s lecture, “Welcome to the Neighborhood: The Evolution of Galaxies in the Group Environment” on Monday, May 8, from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. in the LoRusso Alumni and Visitor Center. Light refreshments will follow the talk. This event is free and open to the public. 

Dr. Connelly describes the focus of her lecture this way: “Most galaxies live complicated lives, growing, interacting with other galaxies, changing shape, and ultimately losing the ability to form new stars. One of the most fundamental discoveries about the evolution of galaxies is that their properties depend on the environment they live in. This public talk focuses on how we define that environment, determine the environment for very distant galaxies, and disentangle the role of nature versus nurture for these complex, diverse, and integral components of our universe.”

The Dr. Jack Mack Lecture in Astronomy and Planetary Science was established in honor of associate professor John E. “Jack” Mack following his retirement from the Earth Sciences Department in 2008. Dr. Mack died in December 2021.

The Graduate Student Association, in collaboration with the Graduate Studies Office, will host the 11th annual Graduate Student Research Fair on Friday, May 12, from 5:00 to 7:30 p.m. in the Campbell Student Union. Students from each academic school will compete in the Buffalo State 3-Minute Capstone Contest Finals for cash prizes, and an array of posters will be displayed during the Graduate Student Poster Presentation.

Buffalo State 3-Minute Capstone Contest Finals 5:00 p.m. | Campbell Student Union Assembly Hall
Contestants will compete and present their master’s thesis or project research in a fun, creative forum for cash prizes.

Graduate School Awards Presentation 5:45 p.m. | Campbell Student Union Social Hall
Outstanding Master’s Project and Thesis awardees, as determined by the Graduate Advisory Council, and their advisers will be acknowledged and the Buffalo State Capstone Contest winners announced.

Graduate Student Poster Presentation Following the awards | Campbell Student Union Social Hall
Poster presentation for graduate students to display and discuss their research with the campus and local community.

Faculty and staff members are encouraged to attend and to urge their students to come and support their classmates. Refreshments will be served. Registering to attend is appreciated but not required. Full details of each event are available on the Graduate Student Association website.

Please tell students that drop-in workshops will be held in the Counseling Center, Weigel Wellness Center 203 (second floor), on Tuesdays from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. and Thursdays from noon to 1:00 p.m. to help them manage the stress of finals. Activities, games, tools, and tips for everyday self-care will be available.

An introductory session to the Buffalo State Intercollegiate Moot Court team will be held Tuesday, May 9, at 12:15 p.m. in Caudell Hall 123. All are invited to join next academic year's Intercollegiate Moot Court team. Freshmen and sophomores are strongly encouraged to join.

Moot Court is a wonderful introduction to legal thinking and a legal career, but it's more than that. It is a fun, interactive way to build your confidence as a speaker, learn how to work as a team on a complex problem, and grow in your ability to persuade others. Plus it is lots of fun!

If you have an interest in joining Buffalo State's Moot Court team, please email Peter Yacobucci, associate professor of political science and public administration.

Moot Court simulates appellate argument before the U.S. Supreme Court. The team will prepare for competition in at least one pre-regional tournament before competing in the American Moot Court Association's official Midwest Regional Tournament in November 2023. This year's case involves whether a woman's right to privacy restricts the government from prohibiting the distribution of contraceptives as well as whether the government may pass a law imposing a religiously based moral stance on all U.S. citizens. A copy of next year's case will be distributed at our introductory session.

Co-coaches William Altreuter, local attorney and partner at Altreuter Berlin, and Dr. Yacobucci will guide all members of the team in preparing their arguments and building their skills at logical reasoning, legal analysis, and oral persuasion.

Please attend our introductory session. If you cannot attend, please email Dr. Yacobucci to let him know you are interested.

The Buffalo State University Police Department reminds students, faculty, and staff members to always lock their car doors, even if they will only be away from their vehicle for a few minutes, and to keep valuables hidden. Many areas across our region, even the country, often see a spike in vehicle break-ins as the spring weather arrives and temperatures increase. Listed below are additional reminders that everyone should follow:

• Always lock your vehicle, even if you will only be away from your vehicle for a few moments.
• Take your keys or fob with you. Don’t leave or hide a smart key, valet key, or spare key in or on your vehicle.
• Take your valuables and electronics with you or lock them in your trunk. Do not leave personal property or valuable items visible in your vehicle.
• Don’t leave your car running while unattended or unlocked.
• Use anti-theft and safety devices, including remote key access for lighting, car alarms, and steering wheel locks.
• Close all your vehicle’s windows completely when parked.

University Police officers patrol the campus around the clock. Bicycle, foot, and vehicle patrols enable officers to monitor and maintain security on campus, and promote contact between the campus community and our officers.

As a reminder, members of the campus community should call University Police at (716) 878-6333 (extension 6333 from a campus phone) immediately if they see any suspicious activity or a crime being committed.

Please join the Biology Department and the Great Lakes Center for the final seminar of the spring semester, "Shell Calcification and Growth of the Aquatic Snail Planorbella trivolvis Under Low Calcium Conditions Typical of Decalcified Northern Lakes," presented by Buffalo State alumnus Shawn Witte, today, May 8, at 3:00 p.m. in Bulger Communication Center 216. 

Mr. Witte obtained his M.A. in biology from Buffalo State in 2021 and his B.S. in veterinary technology from Medaille University in 2018. He is now a scientist in the Molecular Department on the New Product Development team at ZeptoMetrix, formulating molecular controls and panels using qPCR and sample-to-result assays.

Attendees are welcome to arrive at 2:30 p.m. to enjoy coffee and cookies before the seminar begins.

Abstract
In this two-topic seminar, Shawn Witte will share his experience since graduating and illustrate the versatility of a degree in the biological sciences. While at Buffalo State, he researched the impact of low water calcium on the shell calcification of freshwater snails and completed his thesis in the lab of Professor Alicia Pérez-Fuentetaja. His interest in microbiology and molecular biology grew as a graduate teaching assistant, and he is now a scientist at ZeptoMetrix developing positive controls for infectious disease diagnostic panels. The first part of this seminar will be a virtual tour of the ZeptoMetrix facilities, including an overview of the bacteriology, virology, and molecular biology departments and information on the internship program. To conclude the seminar, Mr. Witte will talk about his thesis research, which used laboratory methods to replicate a human-induced ecological disruption in soft water regions and assess its impact on a calcium-demanding aquatic snail.

Please join the Biology Department and the Great Lakes Center for the final seminar of the spring semester, "Shell Calcification and Growth of the Aquatic Snail Planorbella trivolvis Under Low Calcium Conditions Typical of Decalcified Northern Lakes," presented by Buffalo State alumnus Shawn Witte, on Monday, May 8, at 3:00 p.m. in Bulger Communication Center 216. 

Mr. Witte obtained his M.A. in biology from Buffalo State in 2021 and his B.S. in veterinary technology from Medaille University in 2018. He is now a scientist in the Molecular Department on the New Product Development team at ZeptoMetrix, formulating molecular controls and panels using qPCR and sample-to-result assays.

Attendees are welcome to arrive at 2:30 p.m. to enjoy coffee and cookies before the seminar begins.

Abstract
In this two-topic seminar, Shawn Witte will share his experience since graduating and illustrate the versatility of a degree in the biological sciences. While at Buffalo State, he researched the impact of low water calcium on the shell calcification of freshwater snails and completed his thesis in the lab of Professor Alicia Pérez-Fuentetaja. His interest in microbiology and molecular biology grew as a graduate teaching assistant, and he is now a scientist at ZeptoMetrix developing positive controls for infectious disease diagnostic panels. The first part of this seminar will be a virtual tour of the ZeptoMetrix facilities, including an overview of the bacteriology, virology, and molecular biology departments and information on the internship program. To conclude the seminar, Mr. Witte will talk about his thesis research, which used laboratory methods to replicate a human-induced ecological disruption in soft water regions and assess its impact on a calcium-demanding aquatic snail.

Edmund Haspett and Turkessa Amoah from TIAA will be on campus on Tuesday, May 2, and Tuesday, May 16, respectively for individual consultations with Buffalo State faculty and staff members between 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. in Cleveland Hall 416.

Appointments are required.

Discuss your financial situation with an experienced TIAA consultant to help you plan for your future and pursue your financial goals. Take this opportunity to review your retirement savings or to increase or start a tax-deferred annuity.

Get answers to these questions and more:

• Am I invested in the right mix of investments to help meet my goals?
• Am I saving enough to create the retirement income I need?
• How do I take income from my retirement account once I stop working?

Sign up today. Space is limited. Visit the TIAA website or call (800) 732-8353 weekdays between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. to schedule an appointment.