Jerry’s Picks 15.28

Women’s rights in Iran, clarinets in Brazil, Panthers on film, self-monitoring bridges, and other events from Sir Michael Marmot to ghost galaxies… 

Be sure to check out our Featured Event Story by Jerry’s Picks own Carolina Castro and share your event stories.

REMINDERS

October 29: Sustainability and Climate Change in the 2016 Presidential Race
November 4: Scents and Sensibility: Representations of the Olfactory World in the Brain featuring Richard Axel and Billie Holiday: The Musician and the Myth

PICKS

November 5
6 p.m.

Barnard Center for Research on Women | Middle East Institute
The Untold Story of Women in Iran
Historian and human rights advocate Nina Ansary ’89BC will be joined in conversation with Richard Bulliet, professor of history and middle east studies to discuss on her new book on the women’s movement in Iran, Jewels of Allah. Barnard College, Diana Center, Oval Auditorium. (Just Societies)

November 6
6 p.m.

School of the Arts | Columbia Journalism School
The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution
Screening of the acclaimed documentary The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution, followed by a conversation with the director Stanley Nelson;  producer Laurens Grant, and professors June Cross (Journalism) andJamal Joseph (SOA). RSVP here. 3rd Floor, Lecture Hall, Pulitzer Hall. (Just Societies)

November 7
8 p.m.

Miller Theatre
Jazz: Anat Cohen Quartet
The Jazz Journalists Association’s Clarinetist of the Year for the past eight years,Anat Cohen will perform alongside Jason Lindner (piano), Tal Mashiach (bass), andDaniel Freedman (drums). Cohen specializes in the Afro-Western, improvisatory, instrumental music known as choro — an analogue of early jazz in the U.S. Purchase tickets here. Miller Theatre. (Global)

November 10
5:30 p.m.
Italian Academy | Columbia Engineering
Raimondo Betti: Monitoring the Health of Our Bridges
This lecture is the first in the Italian Academy’s series on the work of Italian scientists in the area of sustainability. Professor Raimondo Betti (civil engineering and engineering mechanics) will discuss aging U.S. infrastructure, spectacular failures, and urgent maintenance needs. Betti will share his vision of the future in which infrastructure will be able to monitor its own health, estimate its structural integrity, and launch corrective actions. Register here. The Italian Academy, 1161 Amsterdam Avenue. (Data and Society)

6 p.m. – 7 p.m.
Columbia Journalism School
What Happens When Television and the Internet Collide
The explosion of screens and devices, the rise of new platforms, innovations in tools and technology, and the growth of digital audiences around the world have spurred new opportunities for creative storytelling and collaboration in news organizations.Meredith Artley, managing editor and vice president of CNN Digital, is this year’s Hearst Digital Media Professional-in-Residence. Artley will share some examples of successes and lessons learned at CNN and beyond. Pulitzer Hall, Lecture Hall.(The Public Square)

November 11
4 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Mailman School of Public Health
The Public Health Imagination: Groundbreaking Ideas in Population Health
Join Linda P. Fried for a Dean’s Grand Rounds with Mark T. Bertolini, CEO of Aetna healthcare, and Sir Michael Marmot, chair of the Commission on Social Determinants of Health, who was knighted for his services to epidemiology and understanding health inequalities. Alumni Auditorium, 650 West, 168th Street.

November 13
7 p.m. – 9 p.m.

Astronomy Department
The Dark Matter of Ghost Galaxies
The smallest galaxies, known as dwarf galaxies, present a number of mysteries. Graduate student Jana Grcevich (astronomy) will talk about these mysteries and how astronomers attempt to solve them as part of the Stargazing and Lecture Series. The lecture includes a Q&A session, astrophotography slideshows, and an observatory tour followed by guided stargazing with telescopes (weather permitting). Pupin Hall.

For RSVP, ticket availability, and other details, follow the links. We always appreciate hearing from you about future events!

Castro on Kosovo

Assisting Jerry with the weekly selection of picks has exposed me to an array of thought-provoking and at times soulful events around campus. I had read about the prestigious World Leaders Forum and on Thursday, October 1, I ventured to Low Library to hear Kosovo’s first female president speak.

After passing a few security check points on the steps of Low, I joined the audience, mainly undergraduates and graduate students. Surprisingly, the rotunda was not packed and gave the impression of an intimate town hall.

The lecture was titled “Kosovo: A Country in Transition”. After an introduction by David Madigan, dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, President Atifete Jahjaga dove right in to her presentation recounting Kosovo’s horrific war in the 1990s. She was interested in the ways that post-conflict societies move forward.

From beginning to end, President Jahjaga’s words were compelling. She discussed the ethnic cleansing campaign that took place during the war and the organized rape of women and children. In 2012, Kosovo hosted the first international women’s conference to discuss issues ranging from gender inequality in the workplace to wartime rape. The president emphasized that this was the first time women openly shared their stories. Since the conference, the government has made the commitment to extend wartime reparations to these women. However, the status of these reparations are unclear.

The Q&A session was moderated by Alexander A. Cooley, political science professor at Barnard and the new director of the Harriman Institute. Most questions from the audience centered on what Kosovo will do to step up its efforts to join the international community; it is not yet a member of the United Nations, the European Union, or NATO. I left the lecture contemplating the president’s introductory theme: how do post-conflict societies heal – psychologically, emotionally, and spiritually – and rebuild?

This lecture served as an important reminder that as Columbia continues to globalize and engage with the world, the conversations can become more challenging and emotional. Through platforms like the World Leaders Forum, we gain a footing as global citizens.

You can watch President Jahjaga’s remarks here (her speech starts at 10 minutes in)

Jerry’s Picks 15.27

Brains, noses, rivers, and all that jazz! Be sure to share your event stories!

REMINDERS

October 19: The Negotiator: A Conversation with Senator George Mitchell
October 20: George Rupp: “The Power – and Limitations – of Individualism”

PICKS

October 27
6 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Maison Française
The Bishnois, Ecologists Since the 15th Century
Screening of a documentary by award-winning French photographer and environmental activist Franck Vogel on the lives of the Bishnoi community of Rajasthan in India, who have made wildlife conservation and environmental protection their life’s work. Followed by a Q&A with Vogel, joined in conversation by Ruth DeFries, Denning Family Professor of Sustainable Development. Maison Française, East Gallery, Buell Hall. (Global)

October 29
6 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Earth Institute | Maison Française
Transboundary Rivers
Another evening with photographer Franck Vogel. Vogel’s series has focused on global transboundary water tensions around seven key rivers: the Nile, the Brahmaputra, the Colorado, the Mekong, the Jordan, the Amazon, and the Ganges. Vogel will present his work-in-progress through photography. Also with Upmanu Lall, the Alan and Carol Silberstein Professor of Engineering and director of the Columbia Water Center. Maison Française, East Gallery, Buell Hall. (Global)

November 4
6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Zuckerman Institute
Stavros Niarchos Foundation Brain Insight Lectures
Scents and Sensibility: Representations of the Olfactory World in the Brain featuring Dr. Richard Axel
How does the brain know what the nose is smelling? Richard Axel, Nobel laureate and co-director of the Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, has the answers. RSVP here. Miller Theatre. (Zuckerman Institute and the Future of Neuroscience)

7 p.m.
Center for Jazz Studies
Billie Holiday: The Musician and the Myth
John Szwed, director of the Center for Jazz Studies, will discuss his book Billie Holiday: The Musician and the Myth. Introduction by Farah Jasmine Griffin, the William B. Ransford Professor of English and Comparative Literature and African-American Studies, with a performance by jazz vocalist Catherine Russell and her trio. Teatro, Casa Italiana, Morningside Campus.

SNEAK PEEK
November 12, 7 p.m.
Fishing for Neutrinos at the South Pole
Act now: these programs tend to fill up quickly! Nevis Labs, Columbia’s science facility in the Westchester river town of Irvington, has begun to welcome the public through a Science-on-Hudson lecture series. This one features Professor Michael Shaevitz describing the IceCube project and the particle detector designed to observe the cosmos from deep within the South Pole ice. RSVP here. Science Center at Nevis Laboratories, 136 South Broadway. Irvington, New York.

For RSVP, ticket availability, and other details, follow the links. We always appreciate hearing from you about future events!

Ury Greenberg’s Adventures in Wonderland

On October 7, I attended a Jerry’s Picks event at Butler Library, the “Alice’s Adventures at Columbia” lecture by Dayna Huhn, the founder of the Lewis Carroll Society in Canada. Ms. Kuhn, in a lively 45-minute lecture, took the audience through her research on Alice Pleasance Liddell Hargreaves’ long-ago visit to Columbia University on the occasion of the Charles Dodgson (Lewis Carroll) centenary.

Alice and Butler

Alice with Dr. Murray Butler

In 1932, Ms. Hargreaves was almost 80 years old (she died two years later) and, through extensive correspondence and accommodations, she was enticed to leave England and come to New York. The highlight of her visit was when she received an honorary degree at a ceremony on campus and was feted as the important dignitary she was. The original manuscript of the book Alice’s Adventure Underground was loaned to Columbia and exhibited during her visit. Ms. Huhn wove in details of the correspondence between the President Nicholas Murray Butler, professors who were organizing the event, and Ms. Hargreaves’s son, who accompanied her to NY. She did a great job of placing this event into the context of the New York society and economy of the 1930s.

After the lecture, we went up to the sixth floor of Butler for a reception in the Rare Books and Manuscripts Library and had time to see the exhibition of photos, letters, and books pertaining to the Alice at Columbia visit. The exhibition is housed in the Chang Octagon Gallery, which is worth seeing as a fun architectural space. It was a thoroughly enjoyable way to spend an hour and a half on the way home, learning something new and interesting in a great Columbia setting.

alice at columbia

“Alice in Columbialand” by Mark Steele in the Fall 2009 Columbia Magazine

For more on Alice at Columbia, see this 2009 Columbia Magazine article.

Ryan Hart Reports on Global Reports

Bubbling below the 24-hour stream of sensational news coverage are topics too complex for  reporting in a newspaper or magazine but too urgent to leave to book publishing.  Enter Columbia Global Reports, a new university-sponsored publishing imprint for serious journalism on underreported global issues. It was launched Tuesday, September 15, at an event I attended at Low Library connected to the release of the first book, Shaky Ground: The Strange Saga of the U.S. Mortgage Giants by Bethany McLean

Global Reports Shaky Ground Cover

Shaky Ground: The Strange Saga of U.S. Mortgage Giants

Turnout was great, with a waiting list line and a mix of students and faculty filling nearly every seat (I spotted the Global Center directors sitting up front). Nancy Bobrowitzs  joined me and we remarked on the skew in gender (some 85% male).

After an intro from President Bollinger, Nick Lemann, the former J-School dean who is heading up Columbia Global Reports, opened the discussion. Bethany McLean contextualized the untold story of the response to the mortgage crisis and the (some would argue illegal) government takeover of FannieMae and FreddieMac. Bill Ackman, a high-profile investor, framed why we average Janes and Joes should care, leading us to imagine a future without the possibility to purchase a home with a 30-year fixed prepayable mortgage. Former FannieMae Chairman and CEO Franklin Raines provided inside perspective on the workings of the GSEs (government-sponsored entities), which underpin our economy. This is a tale too toxic for lawmakers to discuss in the sphere of electoral politics, too unwieldly for the public to digest in 30-second sound bites, yet too important to be ignored.

We left realizing how much rides on the stability of the housing sector. If the 30-year mortgage goes away, Ackman predicted home values to plummet 25-35%, and rents to increase, and income inequality to spread even wider than it is now. It’s disconcerting stuff, but at least there’s a new forum at Columbia for taking such things on.

 

 

 

Jerry’s Picks 15.26

From climate change in the presidential race to difficult international negotiations, presenting sitar traditions to building inclusive communities, Columbia invites the world in. 

Remember, this Thursday two great faculty members, psychologist Valerie Purdie-Vaughns ’93CC and biology and chemistry professor Brent Stockwell, give the University Lecture on “Teaching and Learning in a University, Version 2.0.” 

And be sure to share your event stories!

October 13
5 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Office of the Vice Provost for Faculty Diversity and Inclusion
Being the Change, Leading the Charge: Diversity in Higher Education
Panelists include Anne L. Taylor, vice dean of academic affairs at the College of Physicians and Surgeons; Katherine W. Phillips, Paul Calello Professor of Leadership and Ethics at Columbia Business School; Marcel Agüeros, assistant professor of astronomy; Gilda A. Barabino, dean of City College of New York’s Grove School of Engineering; and Aaron Dworkin, dean of the University of Michigan’s School of Music, Theatre, and Dance. Provost John Coatsworth will moderate. This event is complemented by a series of diversity-related activities the week of October 12. Low Library Rotunda. (Just Societies) (Reminder)

October 19
6 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Advanced Consortium on Cooperation, Conflict, and Complexity
The Negotiator: A Conversation with Senator George Mitchell
Former U.S. Senator George Mitchell will discuss his memoir, The Negotiator, reflect on his experiences with conflict resolution in Northern Ireland, the Middle East, and elsewhere, and comment on the nuclear agreement with Iran. Mitchell will be joined by Aldo Civico, associate research scholar director of the International Institute for Peace at Rutgers University. Register here. Teachers College, Horace Mann Hall, Room 147, Cowin Auditorium. (Global)

October 20
4 p.m. – 7 p.m.
The Institute for Religion, Culture, and Public Life
George Rupp: “The Power – and Limitations – of Individualism”
Distinguished visiting scholar and Columbia University President Emeritus George Rupp advocates for new solutions to global challenges, income inequality, climate change, and mass migration in his newest book, Beyond Individualism: The Challenge of Inclusive Communities. Rupp will speak about the challenge of inclusive communities and discuss issues raised by a panel of special guests. Reception to follow. Rupp will be on hand to sign copies of his book (which will be available for purchase). Register here. Earl Hall, 2nd floor, Auditorium. (Global, Just Societies, Climate Change)

October 26
5 p.m. – 6:15 p.m. 
Center on Global Energy Policy
Lighting the World: A Conversation with Jim Rogers, Former Chairman and CEO, Duke Energy
Rogers will discuss his new book Lighting the World: Transforming our Energy Future by Bringing Electricity to Everyone and the kind of innovative thinking, international cooperation, and political will required to provide sustainable energy access to all. Moderated by David Sandalow, CGEP Inaugural Fellow. Registration is required here. Faculty House, 3rd floor, Presidential Room. (Global, Just Societies)

October 29
6 p.m. – 7 p.m.
The Earth Institute
Sustainability and Climate Change in the 2016 Presidential Race
How have environmental issues come to be as politically salient as they are today? Steve Cohen, executive director of the Earth Institute; William Eimicke, director of the Picker Center for Executive Education; and Emily Lloyd, commissioner of New York City’s Department of Environmental Protection, will look at which environmental issues will play a role in the upcoming presidential election. Moderated by Chuck Todd, from NBC’s Meet the Press. Register here. International Affairs Building, Kellogg Center, Room 1501. (Climate, 21st Century Public Square)

October 30
8 p.m. – 10 p.m.   
South Asia Institute | Miller Theatre
Ustad Shahid Parvez Khan and Amit Kavthekar in Concert
Master sitarist Khan descends from six generations of sitarists. The concert will also feature Amit Kavthekar on tabla. Purchase tickets here. Miller Theatre.

November 4
7 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Columbia Law School | The Earth Institute
Who Is Responsible for Climate Change?
The question of responsibility for climate change lies at the heart of debate over actions to address it. This conference explores the scientific, legal, ethical, and policy bases for assigning climate responsibility to countries and to other entities—individuals, emitting industries, and fossil fuel companies. Speakers include Peter Frumhoff, director of Science and Policy Union of Concerned Scientists; Michael Gerrard, director of the Sabin Center for Climate Change Law; Karenna Gore, director of the Center for Earth Ethics; Sivan Kartha, senior scientist at the Stockholm Environment Institute; Naomi Oreskes, professor of the History of Science at Harvard; and Michael Vandenbergh, David Daniels Allen Distinguished Chair of Law at Vanderbilt. Register here. Jerome Greene Hall, Room 104. (Climate Change)

6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Columbia University Libraries
Twain and Stanley Enter Paradise
Posthumous release of a work by the late Pulitzer Prize-winning author Oscar Hijuelos, with a reading by Lori Carlson-Hijuelos, lecturer in English at Duke; Frances Negron-Muntaner, associate professor of English and comparative literature; and authors Siri Hustvedt and Paul Auster ’69CC. Pulitzer Hall, World Room.

Events are now tagged where appropriate with University-wide Big Ideas: Precision Medicine, Global, Climate Change, Data and Society, Just Societies, 21st Century Public Square, and the Zuckerman Institute and the Future of Neuroscience. Through Big Ideas, faculty and students from multiple schools and campuses collaborate for transformative impact, addressing major issues of our time.
 
For RSVP, ticket availability, and other details, follow the links. We always appreciate hearing from you about future events!

Jerry’s Picks 15.25

Campus diversity, universal health care, human rights in the U.S., Joseph Mitchell in New York, medical education, or Columbia’s art treasures: pick your Pick! 

And be sure to share your event stories.

October 7
6:30 p.m.
University Seminars | Lehman Center for American History | Columbia Journalism School
Joseph Mitchell and the City
Thomas Kunkel, president of St. Norbert College and author of Man in Profile: Joseph Mitchell of The New Yorker, will be in discussion with Gay Talese, author and former reporter at The New York Times. Moderated by Dean Steve Coll. Reception to follow. Faculty House, 2nd floor.

October 13
5 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Office of the Vice Provost for Faculty Diversity and Inclusion
Being the Change, Leading the Charge: Diversity in Higher Education
Provost John Coatsworth will moderate a discussion with diversity thought leaders and change agents. Panelists include Anne L. Taylor,  vice dean of academic affairs at the College of Physicians and Surgeons; Katherine W. Phillips, Paul Calello Professor of Leadership and Ethics at Columbia Business School; Marcel Agüeros, assistant professor of astronomy; Gilda A. Barabino, dean of City College of New York’s Grove School of Engineering; and Aaron Dworkin, dean of the University of Michigan’s School of Music, Theatre, and Dance. Followed by a Q&A with the audience and a reception. This event is complemented by a series of diversity-related activities the week of October 12. Low Library, Rotunda. (Just Societies)

October 15
4 p.m. 
College of Physicians and Surgeons
Universal Health Care: An Idea Whose Time has Come?
Donna E. Shalala, president of the Clinton Foundation and former U.S. Secretary for Health and Human Services, will speak as part of the Andrew David Hyman Memorial Lectures. Reception to follow. Please contact Christina Hansen at [email protected] for more information. Alumni Auditorium, 650 West 168th Street, 1st floor. (Reminder)

6 p.m. – 7:15 p.m.
University Lecture
Teaching and Learning in a University, Version 2.0
Hosted by President Lee C. Bollinger and Provost John H. Coatsworth. Professors Valerie Purdie-Vaughns (psychology) and Brent R. Stockwell (biology) discuss challenges and innovations in teaching, and how a new paradigm can transform the educational experience for students. Followed by a Q&A with the audience and a reception. Online registration is required and will open on Tuesday, October 6 at 10:00 am here. Low Library, Rotunda.

October 20
2 p.m.
University Arts Initiative | Art Properties
Museum Meetup: Art on Campus
Hamilton and Jefferson, Pegasus and Pan, Alma Mater and the Thinker are all outdoor sculptures we see on the Morningside campus. Roberto C. Ferrari, curator of Art Properties at Columbia University, will lead a highlights tour of this collection of public art and discuss the artists and history of these works, their materiality and fabrication, and ongoing efforts to conserve them for future generations. RSVP required here. The tour will meet on the Low Library plaza steps by Alma Mater. For more on “Columbia’s bounty of hidden art,” check out Columbia Magazine’s related article here.

4 p.m. – 6 p.m.  
Columbia Medical Center | Office of University Life
Special Guest Lecture: President Bollinger
President Bollinger  will speak about diversity in higher education. Open to current Columbia faculty, students, and staff. RSVP required here. Alumni Auditorium, 650 West 168th St., 1st floor.

October 21
8:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.
College of Physicians and Surgeons
CUMC Seventh Annual Steve Miller Medical Education Day
An annual event promoting medical education and humanism in medicine, in paying tribute to the legacy contributions of the late Steve Miller ’80CC, ’84P&S, former director of pediatric emergency medicine and director of pediatric medical student education. Featuring a grand rounds talk by Abraham Verghese, author of the New York Times best-seller Cutting for Stone and vice chair for the theory and practice of medicine at Stanford University. For more information, please contact Ashley Elich at [email protected]. CUMC Alumni Auditorium, 650 West 168th Street, 1st floor.

October 22
12 p.m. – 3 p.m.
Columbia Law School
Advancing U.S. Social Justice Through Human Rights
To mark the 15th anniversary of the Bringing Human Rights Home Lawyers’ Network, the Human Rights Institute is hosting a series of events exploring the history, impact, and future of the effort to bring human rights home. This event includes a keynote address by Caroline Bettinger-Lopez ’03LAW, White House advisor on violence against women. Followed by a panel of human rights practitioners moderated by Cindy Soohoo, director for CUNY’s International Women’s Human Rights Clinic. Closing remarks by Cathy Albisa serving on New York City’s Commission on Human Rights. Lunch will be provided. Reception to follow. Jerome Greene Hall, Room 102A. (Just Societies)

Events are now tagged where appropriate with University-wide Big Ideas: Precision Medicine, Global, Climate Change, Data and Society, Just Societies, 21st Century Public Square, and the Zuckerman Institute and the Future of Neuroscience. Through Big Ideas, faculty and students from multiple schools and campuses collaborate for transformative impact, addressing major issues of our time.
 
For RSVP, ticket availability, and other details, follow the links. We always appreciate hearing from you about future events!

Jerry’s Picks 15.24

This week, heads of state from around the world—Bangladesh to Croatia to Mozambique—will speak at the World Leaders Forum. List of speakers and RSVP information here. If you have difficulties registering for a World Leaders Forum event and you want to invite a special guest, please contact Anna Barranca-Burke at [email protected]And be sure to share your event stories!
 
October 7
4:30 p.m.
Columbia University Medical Center
Dean’s Distinguished Lecture Series
Searching for the Deep Laws of Nature with Brian Greene, professor of physics and mathematics and director of the Columbia Center for Theoretical Physics. Greene is widely recognized for a number of groundbreaking discoveries in string theory, for his books on physics written for a general audience, and for his role as co-founder of the World Science Festival. CUMC Alumni Auditorium, 650 West 168th Street, 1st floor.

October 10
10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Wallach Family Day
Guided tours at the Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Art Gallery, currently exhibiting Rembrandt’s Changing Impressions, and hands-on printmaking session in the Neiman Center for Print Studies. Registration required here. Schermerhorn Hall, 8th floor.

October 15
6 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Mailman School of Public Health | Barnard Forum on Migration
The Surge: Politics, Violence, and Children in Central America and Mexico
This conference aims to understand the origins of the recent migration of large numbers of unaccompanied children to the US from Central America and Mexico and explore the social and political climate of the countries from which they are emigrating. Opening remarks by Jose Moya, director of the Institute of Latin American Studies. Panelist include José Alberto Idiáquez Guevara, rector from the Universidad Centro Americana in Nicaragua; Dennis Stinchcomb  and Eric Hershberg from the Center for Latin American and Latino Studies at American University; Mark Canavera, associate director of the CPC (Care and Protection of Children) Learning Network Secretariat at Mailman; and Nara Milanich, associate professor of history at Barnard. Register here. Altschul Hall, Lehman Auditorium, 3009 Broadway. (Global)
 
5:30 p.m. – 7 p.m.
SIPA
The Importance of Cheap Labor: Can Professional Fulfillment, Child-Rearing, and Equality Ever Be Combined?
Dean Merit E. Janow and Baroness Wolf, British economist and director of the International Centre for University Policy Research at King’s College London, will explore societies struggle with the clash between work and family demands. Introduction by Yasmine Ergas, director of the gender and public policy specialization. Register here. International Affairs Building, Room 1501. (Just Societies)

4 p.m.
College of Physicians and Surgeons
Universal Health Care: An Idea Whose Time has Come?
Donna E. Shalala, president of the Clinton Foundation and former U.S. Secretary for Health and Human Services, will speak as part of the Andrew David Hyman Memorial Lectures. Reception to follow. Please contact Christina Hansen at [email protected] for more information. Alumni Auditorium, 650 West 168th Street, 1st floor.
 
October 17
12 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Columbia College Alumni Association | Columbia Engineering Alumni Association
Homecoming 2015
The first homecoming game led by Al Bagnoli. A day of interactive activities including face-painting, games, and fencing with the 2015 NCAA Championship fencing team. Followed by the Lions game against the Penn Quakers. Purchase game tickets here and carnival tickets here. Baker Athletics Complex, 533 West, 218th Street.

Events are now tagged where appropriate with University-wide Big Ideas: Precision Medicine, Global, Climate Change, Data and Society, Just Societies, 21st Century Public Square, and the Zuckerman Institute and the Future of Neuroscience. Through Big Ideas, faculty and students from multiple schools and campuses collaborate for transformative impact, addressing major issues of our time.

For RSVP, ticket availability, and other details, follow the links. We always appreciate hearing from you about future events!

Jerry’s Picks 15.23

Nine not-so-picky picks below as fall’s abundance throws all editorial discipline to the wind! Be sure to share your event stories!

A special campus opportunity from SIPA and the Italian Academy, now through October 15: Nick Danziger’s compelling exhibit of black and white photographs of women and children around the world, answering the question: Did the UN Millennium Development Goals succeed in giving families a better life? More information here.

September 19 – 26 
School of the Arts
Morningside Lights: New York Nocturne
A week of free community arts workshops culminates in a procession of handmade lanterns inspired by New York City after dark. See the schedule of daily lantern-building workshops here. Illuminated procession on September 26 at 8 p.m. Morningside Park, 116th Street and Morningside Avenue. (Reminder)

September 25
8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Columbia Business School
Imagine and Inspire: The Future of Social Enterprise
The field of social enterprise emerged as activists, business people, and organizations used their skills to solve the last century’s most pressing problems. In celebration of Columbia Business School’s Centennial, this conference will explore what the next 100 years of social enterprise will entail. List of speakers and schedule here. Purchase tickets ($150) here. The New York Historical Society Museum. (Just Societies)

September 30
6 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Institute for Research in African-American Studies
Reconstruction: In Pursuit of Family History from 40 Acres and a Mule to Black Lives Matter
A conversation with Keith Boykin, assistant adjunct professor at the Institute for Research in African-American Studies and a New York Times best-selling author and TV commentator.
School of Journalism, 3rd floor. (Just Societies)

September 29
6 p.m. – 9 p.m. 
Columbia Entrepreneurship
Sports, the Digital Bellwether
The first live televised sporting event in the U.S. took place on May 17, 1939 at Baker Field. Since then, innovations in TV delivery continue to change the viewer experience and social media is fostering new relationships among athletes, leagues, and fans. Big League digital innovators of the NFL, NBA, NHL, and MLB will be in conversation with NBA Commissioner Emeritus David J. Stern ’66LAW. Purchase tickets here. If alumni relations and development officers would like to use this event as an engagement opportunity, please contact Christopher McGarry at [email protected] to request complimentary tickets. 125 W. 18th Street, Metropolitan Pavilion. (21st Century Public Square) (Reminder)

October 2
4 – 5:30 p.m.
East Asian Languages and Cultures
The Importance of Early China and the Indispensable Role of Western Institutions
An inaugural ceremony for the Tang Center for Early China. Opening remarks by Provost John Coatsworth and keynote lecture by Li Feng, professor of early Chinese history and archaeology. Please contact Maryellen Rogusky at [email protected] to RSVP. Low Library, Faculty Room. (Global)

6:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.  
School of the Arts
Preview Screening of The 33
In celebration of the 50th anniversary of the School of the Arts, an exclusive screening of The 33, a film that tells the story of the 2010 Chilean mining disaster where 33 miners were trapped underground for 69 days. A Q&A will follow with the director Patricia Riggen ’03SOA. Miller Theatre.

October 2 – 3
The Brown Institute for Media Innovation
Computation and Journalism Symposium
This forum brings together a broad range of thinkers, doers, journalists, and storytellers to discuss the ways journalism is and should be adapting in the face of new technologies. Opening keynote by Lada Adamic, data scientist at Facebook and closing reception by Chris Wiggins, associate professor of applied mathematics and chief data scientist at the New York Times. Register here. Brown Institute for Media Innovation, Pulitzer Hall, 2950 Broadway. (Data and Society, 21st Century Public Square)

October 6
6 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Columbia University Libraries
Alice’s Adventures at Columbia
In 1932, Alice Pleasance Hargreaves was awarded an honorary degree by Columbia University for the centenary of Lewis Carroll’s birth and for inspiring the tale Alice in Wonderland. A lecture by Dayna Huhn, founder of the Lewis Carroll Society of Canada, followed by a viewing of the accompanying exhibition at Columbia’s Rare Book and Manuscript Library. Butler Library, 6th floor, East.

October 7
5 p.m. – 7 p.m.
College of Physicians and Surgeons | School of Continuing Education
Narrative Medicine Rounds: Akhil Sharma, Author
Narrative Medicine Rounds are lectures or readings presented by scholars, clinicians, or writers engaged in work at the intersection of narrative and health care. Akhil Sharma, assistant professor of creative writing at Rutgers University, is the author of An Obedient Father, winner of the PEN/Hemingway Award, and a New York Times Notable Book of the Year. CUMC Faculty Club, Physicians and Surgeons Building, 4th floor.

Events are now tagged where appropriate with University-wide Big Ideas: Precision Medicine, Global, Climate Change, Data and Society, Just Societies, 21st Century Public Square, and the Zuckerman Institute and the Future of Neuroscience. Through Big Ideas, faculty and students from multiple schools and campuses collaborate for transformative impact, addressing major issues of our time.

For RSVP, ticket availability, and other details, follow the links. We always appreciate hearing from you about future events!

Jerry’s Picks 15.22

China’s impact, Cuba’s jazz, the Pope on climate, sports online – and that’s just for starters. Be sure to share your event stories!

September 17
11 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.
University Programs and Events | Committee on Global Thought
The Rise of China and its Impact on the Global Order
This World Leaders Forum and Global Thought Lecture features the Honorable Kevin Rudd, president of Asia Society Policy Institute and former prime minister of Australia; Steve Cohen, executive director of the Earth Institute; and Vishakha N. Desai, special advisor for global affairs to President Bollinger. Followed by a Q&A with the audience. Registration required here. Low Memorial Library, Rotunda. (Related to: Global)

6:30 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Zuckerman Institute
Heading Off Damage: New Insights in Traumatic Brain Injury
How does brain damage happen? What effects can it have in the days afterward? What are the long-term consequences to the health of the brain? Barclay Morrison III, associate professor of biomedical engineering, will explore these questions as part of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Brain Insight Lectures. RSVP here. Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, 515 Malcolm X Boulevard. (Related to: Zuckerman Institute and the Future of Neuroscience)(Reminder)
 
September 23
7 p.m.
Center for Jazz Studies
Re/mapping Jazz: How Cuba Changed Everything
John F. Szwed, director of the Center for Jazz Studies, will be in discussion with Ned Sublette, composer and musicologist. Sublette is known for fusing country-western and Afro-Caribbean styles, such as salsa, cumbia, and rumba. The event will include a live performance by The Pedrito Martinez Group. Earl Hall, Auditorium. (Related to: Global)

September 24
6 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Institute for Religion, Culture, and Public Life
Pope Economics / Pope Ecology
In anticipation of the 2015 Paris Climate Conference and Pope Francis’ visit to the U.S., Edouard Tetreau, economic consultant; Andrew Revkin (PACE); Erin Lothes (College of St. Elizabeth); and Anthony Annett (Earth Institute) will discuss the implications of the papal letter on climate change and the Pope’s call for drastic changes in lifestyle. Moderated by Laura Flanders, host and founder of GRITtv with Laura Flanders. Maison Française, East Gallery, Buell Hall. (Related to: Climate Change)

6 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Oral History Master of Arts Program
Roots and Fruits of Activism in Washington Heights and New York City
Since the 1950s, few topics have roiled New York City more than public education, with its powerful connections to demands for racial justice, struggles for economic mobility, and changing definitions of community. Long-time residents and activist in northern Manhattan—Laura Altschuler, coordinator of the League of Women Voters of the City of New York, and Sixto Medina, founding member of the Alianza Dominicana and the Tamboril Community Center in Washington Heights—will share their memories and reflect on the “school wars.” Moderated by Robert W. Snyder, author of Crossing Broadway: Washington Heights and the Promise of New York City. 606 W. 122nd Street, Knox Hall, Room 509. (Related to: Just Societies, 21st Century Public Square)

September 25
6 p.m. – 8 p.m. 
The Earth Institute
2015 Paris Climate Conference (COP21): What to expect and what should follow?
Laurence Tubiana (SIPA) and Scott Barrett (The Earth Institute) will discuss the expectations, hopes, and possible outcomes of the upcoming climate negotiations at the UN’s Climate Change Conference in December. RSVP here. Morningside Campus, Buell Hall. (Related to: Global, Climate Change) 

September 29
4 p.m. – 6 p.m.
School of Nursing Alumni Association
New York Times Columnist Theresa Brown in Conversation with Dean Berkowitz
Brown will read from her newly published book, The Shift: One Nurse, Twelve Hours, Four Patients’ Lives, followed by a discussion with Dean Bobbie Berkowitz, with a reception to close. Register here. Faculty Club.

6 p.m. – 9 p.m. 
Columbia Entrepreneurship
Sports, the Digital Bellwether
The first live televised sporting event in the U.S. took place on May 17, 1939 at Baker Field. Since then, innovations in TV delivery continue to change the viewer experience and social media is fostering new relationships among athletes, leagues, and fans. Big League digital innovators of the NFL, NBA, NHL, and MLB will be in conversation with NBA Commissioner Emeritus David J. Stern ’66LAW. Purchase tickets here. If alumni relations and development officers would like to use this event as an engagement opportunity, please contact Christopher McGarry at [email protected] to request complimentary tickets. 125 W. 18th Street, Metropolitan Pavilion.

Events are now tagged where appropriate with University-wide Big Ideas: Precision Medicine, Global, Climate Change, Data and Society, Just Societies, 21st Century Public Square, and the Zuckerman Institute and the Future of Neuroscience. Through Big Ideas, faculty and students from multiple schools and campuses collaborate for transformative impact, addressing major issues of our time.

For RSVP, ticket availability, and other details, follow the links. We always appreciate hearing from you about future events!