Campus News

Travel to cyberspace

Check out the Electronic Visualization Laboratory’s new virtual reality environment, called CAVE2, at an open house Feb. 20.

Visitors can immerse themselves in cyberspace — flying over Mars, entering molecular structures, standing inside train tracks to observe distortion as high-speed trains roar past, exploring the brain’s vasculature or walking through architectural spaces.

The open house takes place from 3 to 6 p.m. in the Engineering Research Facility. More open houses are scheduled for April 3 and 24.

Space is limited; register online.

 

Go bald for a good cause

UIC students and employees can still sign up to shave their heads during the annual St. Baldrick’s event to supporting pediatric cancer research.

The event takes place from 8 to 10 a.m. Feb. 21 on the fifth floor of the hospital.

Register or donate online.

Jazzy music

Jazz composer and saxophonist Miguel Zenón will bring his Latin-influenced style to UIC to highlight the third annual UIC High School Jazz Festival Feb. 25.

Zenón will perform with UIC’s Jazz Ensemble at 7 p.m. in the Illinois Room of Student Center East.

From 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., high school jazz bands will compete in performances judged by UIC ensemble members and other noted musicians who teach in UIC’s jazz program. The judges will lead clinics and workshops in brass, woodwinds, bass, guitar, drums, vocals and piano.

Admission to student performances are free; tickets to Zenón’s concert are $7 for students with i-card and $10 for others.

Buy tickets at the door with cash or online.

 

Riding for a cause

Sign up to ride with the Chicago Campus Cyclers in the MS “Tour de Farms” charity bike ride at a recruiting event Thursday.

Riders can register from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday and March 21 in the hospital lobby.

The ride, sponsored by the Illinois Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis society, takes place June 22 and 23, on the country roads around DeKalb.

For more information, email cmcshane@uic.edu or visit the team website.

Warming in cold regions

Scientist Peter Doran explores “Global Warming and Antarctica,” at a forum Thursday.

Doran, professor of earth and environmental sciences, is a specialist on polar regions, particularly the Antarctic climate and ecosystems, and has made significant contributions to questions of global climate change.

His talk, at noon in 1-470 Daley Library, is part of the Global Learning Community Green Matter Series. RSVP to glc@las.uic.edu

 

Library resource

UIC Library users now can search 148 academic and research libraries in Illinois with Summon, a one-stop search engine.

With Summon, users can find books, journal articles, archival materials, data and more from the Consortium of Academic and Research Libraries in Illinois, as well as from websites.

Users can access the materials through interlibrary loan. Real-time availability of each item is displayed so users can easily place holds and requests.

“It’s a seamless experience for the users,” said Mary Case, head of the UIC Library. “Direct access to these additional resources significantly increases the value of our collections to our users.”

Click on the “Summon” tab on the UIC Library website to search.

 

Online learning

A University of Illinois certificate program that prepares faculty and education professionals to provide administrative support for online courses has graduated its first class, all from Illinois community colleges.

The Certified Online Learning Administrators (COLA) certificate program offered by the Illinois Online Network certifies faculty, staff and administrators after they successfully complete a series of five classes and a practicum. COLA courses include online program administration, course/program quality, student support, and faculty training issues. Electives include globalization, blended/hybrid models, and copyright and intellectual property issues.

Core and elective courses are free for university faculty members; advanced online seminars cost $150. U of I staff pay a reduced cost of $60 for each core and elective course, $72 for the practicum and $150 for advanced online seminars.

 

Read together

UIC’s WoRD Book Club will host its next meeting March 19.

The group will discuss its latest book, Eric Schlosser’s Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal, from noon to 1 p.m. in 507 Disability, Health and Social Policy Building.

The Women’s Reading and Discussion Club was created by members of the Chancellor’s Committee on the Status of Women.

 

Green honors

For the second year in a row, UIC has been honored as a Tree Campus USA by the Arbor Day Foundation.

The program recognizes colleges and universities for effective campus forest management and strong conservation goals.

UIC was awarded the title by meeting five standards: maintaining a tree advisory committee and a campus tree-care plan, dedicating money toward trees, hosting an Arbor Day observance and encouraging student service-learning projects.

 

Soup and stories

Hear stories about African American chef and author Edna Lewis while enjoying one of her soup recipes Tuesday at Re-Thinking Soup.

Lewis co-owned and cooked at Café Nicholson, a New York City restaurant popular in the 1940s and 1950s.

Chef Kocoa Scott-Winbush will read excerpts from two of Lewis’s cookbooks, The Taste of Country Cooking and In Pursuit of Flavor. Jazz violinist Samuel “Savoirfaire” Williams will perform.

The event takes place from noon to 1 p.m. at the Jane Addams Hull-House Museum.

 

Support for researchers

Applications are due March 11 for the Center for Clinical and Translational Science’s KL2 Scholars program.

The award supports the research efforts and career development of clinician scientists conducting patient-oriented research.

For more information, call 312-413-7316.

 

Race and education

A forum Thursday examines the relationship between race and disability and how differences are addressed at school.

“Not in my Classroom: Race, Disability and the Dilemmas of Difference,” takes place at 3 p.m. at the UIC Forum. Speakers include Alfredo J Artiles, education professor at Arizona State University, and Nirmala Erevelles, professor of educational leadership at the University of Alabama.

The event is co-sponsored by the Institute for Research on Race and Public Policy, College of Education, the Learning Sciences Research Institute, the Department of Disability and Human Development, and the Disability Resource Center.

RSVP to irrpp@uic.edu

 

Armed against flu

University and UI Health System employees and their family members can get $10 flu shots at the Immediate Care Clinic.

The clinic, 722 W. Maxwell St., is open from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday and noon to 8 p.m. on weekends.

For more information, call 312-355-0517

Students who have insurance through the CampusCare plan can receive free flu shots at the Family Medicine Center.

 

Free dental screenings

UIC dental students will give free screenings from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday at the College of Dentistry as they prepare for their licensing exam.

Patients must be at least 18 years old. No appointment required.

 

Tax forms available

Employees who signed up to receive their W-2 and/or 1042-S forms electronically can now retrieve them online.

Forms are available through the university’s human resources website, NESSIE. 

Click the “Compensation” tab, then the link for the “W-2/1042-S Tax Statement.”

For more information, call 312-996-7200.

 

Graduate award

Applications are now being accepted for the Rue Bucher Memorial Award for graduate research using qualitative methodologies.

Students conducting advanced doctoral research in any college is eligible to apply for the $1,250 award.

Deadline to apply is March 4.

 

Take time to give blood


Blood donors must now have an appointment to give blood at campus drives.

Those who want to give blood should email donor coordinator Drew Ross at andross@uic.edu. Walk-ins will only be accepted if there is an open slot.

Upcoming drives include:

• College of Medicine Blood Drive, 9 a.m-2 p.m. Thursday, Thompson Room, Student Center West

• Mini-Blood Drives, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Feb. 19, White Oak Room, SCE; Feb. 21, 26-28, Ft. Dearborn Room, SCE

 

Go, snow

During snow and ice storms, Facilities Management crews work around the clock to keep the campus as open and accessible as weather permits.

Priority goes to hospital and ambulatory care areas, disability-access entrances and areas, emergency routes and public walkways.

However, it may take several days to clear the campus of snow and ice.

Report snow- and ice-related problems to the 24-hour snow removal hotline, 312-355-SNOW, including location, time and a phone number or e-mail for follow-up.