UIS Computer Science Department to host Cyber Defense and Disaster Recovery Conference

WHAT: The University of Illinois Springfield Computer Science Department will host the 14th annual Cyber Defense and Disaster Recovery Conference (CDDR) for local information technology and cybersecurity professionals in the Midwest. This year’s theme is cyber threat hunting and incident response.

WHEN: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, April 10, 2020 (registration opens at 7:30 a.m.)

WHERE: UIS Public Affairs Center, 2200 Ernest Hemingway Drive, Springfield

DETAILS: Cyber attacks are on the rise and imposing billions of dollars loss on U.S. companies and organizations annually.

At CDDR 2020, cybersecurity professionals across the country will speak about novel approaches that can be used to detect and track under-the-radar cyber attacks. Such attacks cannot be mitigated by existing conventional defensive countermeasures such as antivirus, or IDS products. They will also speak about modern approaches that companies can employ to contain and manage cybersecurity incidents.

Some of the speakers include Pedram Amini, chief technology officer at InQuest.net; Greg Foss, senior threat researcher at VMware Carbon Black, Brandon Wunderle, manager at CrowdStrike; Chad Johnson, analyst at CrowdStrike; and Michael Springer, senior consultant at Brown Smith Wallace.

The conference is sponsored by Crowdstrike, InQuest LLC and Malwarebytes.

The early bird registration fee for students is $35 and $55 for professionals. After March 15, the registration fee is $45 for students and $75 for professionals.

Those interested in attending the conference can register online at csc.uis.edu/center/conferences/cddr2020/.

For more information, contact Amirreza Niakanlahiji, UIS assistant professor of computer science, at 217-206-6770 or cddr@uis.edu.

Brazilian Professor to present on Conservation of Large Rivers

WHAT: The University of Illinois Springfield will host a lecture on “The Impact of Hydroelectric Dams on Aquatic Communities,” by Professor Luiz Felipe Machado Velho from the Universidade Estadual de Maringa. The event is free and open to the public.

WHEN: Monday, July 17, 2017 at 2 p.m.

WHERE: UIS Brookens Auditorium, located on the lower level of Brookens Library

DETAILS: Professor Luiz Felipe Machado Velho’s lecture is part of a summer exchange program with UIS on the theme of Conservation and Restoration of Two Large Rivers in the Americas, partially funded by a grant from the Innovation Fund from the Coca-Cola Foundation-sponsored competition, “100,000 Strong in the Americas.”

Velho and four UEM students are spending three weeks studying restoration projects in the Illinois River floodplain.

Their hosts at UIS include Keenan Dungey, UIS associate professor of chemistry, Michael Lemke, UIS professor of biology, Jonathan GoldbergBelle, senior director of UIS International Programs. Additionally, five UIS students are participating in the program.

All participating students recently collected samples from the Therkildsen Field Station at Emiquon and will be comparing their results to those based on samples they collected on the Parana River in Brazil last month.

“This exchange program builds on our 10-year collaboration with the Universidade Estadual de Maringá, creating additional student research opportunities, sharing our aquatic ecology projects with a broader audience, and contributing to public policy on river management,” said Dungey.

It is expected that the eight Innovation Fund grants, handed out internationally in 2016, will result in 115 students studying abroad, preparing them to be more globally competent for the 21st century workforce.

For more information, contact Derek Schnapp, UIS director of public relations, at 217-206-6716 or dschn3@uis.edu.

UIS English Department to host "Winter Dreams" event featuring live poetry and classical music

WHAT: The University of Illinois Springfield English Department and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences present “Winter Dreams”. The evening will include original poetry read by members of Springfield Poets and Writers, live classical music by Blackwater String Ensemble, a cash bar and complimentary hors d’oevres. The event is open to the public.

WHEN: Thursday, February 2, 2017, from 7 to 9 p.m.

WHERE: UIS Public Affairs Center Restaurant

DETAILS: In conjunction with Springfield Poets and Writers and the Blackwater String Ensemble, the UIS English Department has created this event both as a fundraiser for graduate students in their newly designed master’s in English program and in an effort to foster a more connected relationship between cultural and fine arts communities in the Springfield area.

A suggested donation of $12 ($6 for current UIS students) will help to fund graduate students’ professional development, including attending conferences and literary festivals and performing research.

In the fall of 2015, the UIS English Department launched its redesigned master’s degree program. Its curriculum was re-created to better prepare students for the digital and technologically-based aspects of positions in teaching, writing, and publishing. The proceeds from “Winter Dreams” will support students in the program’s two tracks—Digital Pedagogy and Digital Publishing.

For more information about the UIS English Department, visit the department's website or connect with the department on Facebook. Questions about the event may be directed to UIS English Instructor Gillian Bauer at 217/206-8332 or gbaue2@uis.edu.

UIS faculty to take part in two public Inauguration Day panel discussions

Six faculty members from the University of Illinois Springfield will take part in two public Inauguration Day panel discussions on Friday, January 20, 2017.

Democracy and Donuts II Panel Discussion at UIS 

Democracy and Donuts II, will be held at the UIS Public Affairs Center Food Emporium from 4:30 to 6 p.m. This event is intended to provide an opportunity to reflect on the democratic process with a specific focus on the time period between the election and the inauguration. The event will feature four panelists, each with a different area of expertise in topics related to the impending inauguration.

Panelists include Heather Dell, UIS associate professor of women and gender studies; Ali Nizamuddin, UIS associate professor of political science; Jae Sik Ha, UIS assistant professor of communication; and Dalitso Sulamoyo, CEO of the Illinois Association of Community Action Agencies.

Inauguration Day Panel Discussion at Innovate Springfield

An Inauguration Day panel discussion hosted by the University of Illinois Springfield and the Springfield Art Association will take place at Innovate Springfield, located at 15 Old State Capitol Plaza in downtown Springfield, starting at 5:30 p.m.

The unprecedented events of Election 2016 have shaken longstanding assumptions about American politics and left many people with questions. On Inauguration Day, a panel of scholars will be on hand at Innovate Springfield to answer them.

The panel will include Devin Hunter, UIS assistant professor of history; Ken Owen, UIS assistant professor of history; Christian McWhirter, research historian at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, and Christopher Schnell, consulting historian at the Springfield Art Association.

The public is invited to attend this free event. Street parking is available.

Share your political memorabilia with the UIS History Harvest at the Old State Capitol

WHAT: The University of Illinois Springfield Department of History is inviting members of the public to bring and share any and all political memorabilia during a History Harvest at the Old State Capitol. Students will photograph, scan and record the stories behind the items in an effort to document the way that people in central Illinois have participated in elections.

WHEN: Saturday, October 22, 2016, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

WHERE: Old State Capitol, 1 SW Old State Capitol Plaza, Springfield, IL

DETAILS: UIS students are asking people to share campaign literature, brochures, letters, photographs, diaries, buttons and bumper stickers related to the democratic process. Digital copies of the items made during the event will be included in an online exhibit and catalog. Participants will also have an opportunity to tell the ‘harvesters’ the stories behind the objects.

History Harvest offers the opportunity to “put yourself in the historical record.” By collecting information on the memories of the local electorate, the project will provide a unique insight into how ordinary citizens in central Illinois have participated in and remembered the democratic process. Items from both the recent and distant past are welcome.

Students from UIS Assistant Professor of History Devin Hunter’s undergraduate public history class and UIS Assistant Professor of History Kenneth Owen’s graduate history and digital media class will lead the effort to digitize items for the online digital exhibit.

 For more information, visit www.uis.edu/history/historyharvest/ or contact Devin Hunter at 217/206-7432 (dhunte2@uis.edu) or Kenneth Owen at 217/206-7439 (kowen8@uis.edu).

Girl Tech to teach middle schoolers about technology

WHAT: Join the University of Illinois Springfield’s Computer Science Department for two days of fun exploring technology during Girl Tech 2016.

WHEN: Thursday, June 16 and Friday, June 17, 2016 from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

WHERE: University Hall Building (UHB) on the UIS campus

DETAILS: Studies show the number of women in higher education in computer science is falling drastically. Girl Tech is geared toward girls in middle school because interest seems to start decreasing around that age.

Highlighting the sessions this year is the opportunity for girls to play NASA/NSF’s Selene game. Selene challenges players to learn the major geologic processes scientists believe formed the modern Moon. Players construct their own virtual moon and then pepper it with impact craters and flood it with lava. New technology will include basic circuit design while creating an LED illuminated photo frame.

Girls will also get the chance to use a 3D-pen to create their own 3D sculpture or jewelry and print it using a 3D printer. They will also create their own computer games with by using the program Scratch. Girls will use hi-tech design tools to create a Girl Tech 2016 t-shirt to take home.

The registration fee is $30 per girl, which covers lunch both days, snacks and a participation t-shirt. To be eligible to participate, the girl must be entering 7th, 8th or 9th grade in the Fall of 2016. For more information about the camp and to register visit, http://csc.uis.edu/girltech/. The registration deadline is Friday, June 3, 2016.

For more information, contact Lucinda Caughey, camp coordinator and UIS Computer Science instructor, at 217/206-8336 or lcaug2@uis.edu.

Girl Tech camp teaches middle schoolers about technology

WHAT: Join the University of Illinois Springfield’s Computer Science Department for two days of fun exploring technology during Girl Tech 2015.

WHEN: Thursday, June 11 and Friday, June 12, 2015 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.

WHERE: University Hall Building (UHB) on the UIS campus

DETAILS: Studies show the number of women in higher education in computer science is falling drastically. Girl Tech is geared toward girls in middle school because interest seems to start decreasing around that age.

Highlighting the sessions this year is an investigation of DNA: just how close is human DNA to that of a strawberry? New technology will include an introduction to drawing with 3D pens.

Other activities include “What’s in the Box?” where participants will explore the inside of a computer’s hardware. Girls will create their own computer games with Scratch. They’ll also use hi-tech design tools to create a Girl Tech 2015 t-shirt to take home.

The registration fee is $30 per girl, which covers lunch both days, snacks and a participation t-shirt. To be eligible to participate, the girl must be entering 7th, 8th or 9th grade in the Fall of 2015. For more information about the camp and to register visit http://csc.uis.edu/girltech/. The registration deadline is Thursday, June 4, 2015.

For more information, contact Mary Sheila Tracy, camp coordinator and UIS Computer Science instructor, at 217/206-7328 or girlTech@uis.edu.

UIS Visual Arts Department seniors present two distinct art and design exhibitions

The University of Illinois Springfield proudly presents dual student exhibitions Sponsored by Adobe and Identity Matter. Both exhibits feature artwork by the graduating seniors of the Visual Arts Department.

Sponsored by Adobe will exhibit a variety of works that make use of digital media for creative and commercial purposes, while Identity Matters emphasizes fine art media and personal expression. Both exhibits run from April 27 through May 14 and a reception will take place in both venues on Thursday, May 7 from 5:30 to 8 p.m.

Sponsored by Adobe will be exhibited in the Access Gallery, housed in the lobby of the Visual and Performing Arts building. It features the work of five student artists who have produced works rooted in graphic design, photography, and digital media. Robert Brooks composes designs to suit clientele needs while incorporating his personal creative interests. Katie Good composes imagery and design focused on creating a personal experience through her published catalog. Alexander Johnson illustrates and authors a children’s animated storybook. Nick Manker illustrates a science fiction comic based on his trials and tribulations through his college experience. Phil Mulford designs and produces a fictional music festival to represent his interests as a commercial artist.

Identity Matters will be exhibited in the UIS Visual Arts Gallery, located in the Health and Sciences building. It presents five additional artists that rely on a variety of fine art media as an outlet for personal expression. Oliver Barth compiles video collages evoking the effects of media on society and of time on context. Taylor Geary explores the social issues of animal abuse through the use of sculpture. Mariam Said defies the stereotypes of the Hijab, or Muslim headscarf, through the use of sculpture. Porcia Sledge utilizes photography to capture a parallel between the innocence of childhood and responsibility of adulthood. Jessica Wilson illustrates cartoon-like imagery to portray prejudices of the homosexual community.

The Visual Arts Gallery is centrally located on the UIS campus in the Health and Science Building, Room 201. Gallery hours are Monday through Thursday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The Access Gallery is located in the Visual and Performing Arts Building. Gallery hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. For more information, visit the UIS Visual Arts Gallery website at www.uis.edu/visualarts/gallery or contact the gallery at 217/206-6506 or alach@uis.edu.

UIS Theatre presents "A Streetcar Named Desire"

The Theatre Program at the University of Illinois Springfield presents A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams, opening Friday, April 10. Six performances will be presented in the Studio Theatre, on the lower level of the Public Affairs Center at UIS - on Friday, Saturday, Sunday, April 10, 11, and 12, and Thursday, Friday, Saturday, April 16, 17, and 18. All shows will begin at 7:30 p.m., except the Sunday performance (April 12), which will begin at 2 p.m. UIS Associate Professor and Director of Theatre Eric Thibodeaux-Thompson directs the play.

Tennessee Williams’ Pulitzer Prize-winning play is an American classic that also won the New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award for best play in 1948, with numerous revivals over the years. Very few plays continue to have such power and impact as Williams’ 1948 drama continues to do so 66 years after the original production, but A Streetcar Named Desire is one such play.

“The play reveals to the very depths the character of Blanche DuBois, a woman whose life has been undermined by her romantic illusions, which lead her to reject—so far as possible—the realities of life with which she is faced and which she consistently ignores. The pressure brought to bear upon her by her sister, with whom she goes to live in New Orleans, intensified by the earthy and extremely ‘normal’ young husband of the latter, leads to a revelation of her tragic self-delusion and, in the end, to madness,” said publisher Samuel French Inc.

UIS Associate Professor of Theatre Missy Thibodeaux-Thompson will play Blanche DuBois in a special sabbatical presentation. UIS student cast members include Diamond Dixon, Bria Grant, Nicholas Jimenez, Christopher Romero, Jonathan San German, Rona Taylor, Ellyn Thorson, and Alessandro Vazquez. Guest artist Tom Miller, community member Linda Castor, and UIS alum Tom Hutchison also make up the cast.

Dathan Powell, UIS assistant professor of theatre, is the scene designer/technical director and lighting designer. Guest artist Katherine Eickhoff is the costume designer and community member Melissa Betty will serve as stage manager. UIS students making up the crew include Anna Ball, Emily Collins, Lindsay Frisk, Janaye Godawa, David Hecht, Junyi Liu, Meghan Milewski, Kevin Montano, Saiteja Pamitimukkala, Harshvardhan Pandey, Wesley Skym, Dinesh Reddy Srirangapalle, Liza Torrence and Alexis Yowsig.

Ticket prices are $14 for adults; $12 for senior citizens (65 or older with a picture I.D.); $10 for UIS Faculty/Staff; $8 for UIS students (and all other college-level students) with a valid, current i-card or college I.D. card; and $6 for 17 and under. Please note that a service charge from Sangamon Auditorium, not included in the prices above, will be added to each ticket price, at the time of purchase. To avoid a higher service charge, buying tickets in person at the Sangamon Auditorium ticket office is highly recommended. You may also purchase tickets over the phone by calling 217/206-6160 or online at www.uis.edu/SangamonAuditorium/.

For more information on the production, visit www.uis.edu/theatre.

Girl Tech to teach middle schoolers about technology

WHAT: Join the University of Illinois Springfield’s Computer Science Department for two days of fun exploring technology during Girl Tech 2014. Hands-on activities include creating your own robot, fun ideas with electricity, design a game, and much more!

WHEN: Thursday, June 12 and Friday, June 13, 2014 from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

WHERE: University Hall Building (UHB) on the UIS campus

DETAILS: Studies show the number of women in higher education in computer science is falling drastically. Girl Tech is geared toward girls in middle school because interest seems to start decreasing around that age.

Highlighting the sessions this year is a multi-session activity where each girl will create her own robotic companion to take home. They will get to plan the robot, program the robot, and personalize their robot.

Other activities include, “Green Screen Dreams” where participants will use green screens and iPads to make their dreams a reality. During “Light Up Your Life!” students will use circuit pens to draw with conductive ink. Girls will make up their own computer game on a Raspberry Pi computer during a session called “Scratch”. They’ll also use hi-tech design tools to create a Girl Tech 2014 t-shirt to take home.

The registration fee is $30 per girl, which covers lunch both days, snacks and a participation t-shirt. To be eligible to participate, the girl must be entering 7th, 8th or 9th grade in the fall of 2014. For more information about the camp and to register visit http://csc.uis.edu/girltech/. The registration deadline is Thursday, June 5, 2014.

For more information, contact Mary Sheila Tracy, camp coordinator and UIS Computer Science instructor, at 217/206-7328 or mtrac1@uis.edu.

UIS Visual Arts Gallery hosts annual Silent Auction Benefit featuring original works of art

The University of Illinois Springfield Visual Arts Gallery will hold its annual Silent Auction Benefit from December 2-12, 2013. This year, the auction boasts a wide range of high caliber works by artists from Springfield, throughout Illinois, and beyond. A closing reception, along with final bidding, will take place on December 12 from 5:30-7 p.m. in the Visual Arts Gallery.

This annual fundraising event will feature an extraordinary range of work by artists who are celebrated locally and nationally. Artists Chris Britt, Mike Miller, Shane Harris, Felicia Olin, Thom Whalen, Kevin Veara, and Betsy Dollar are among the list of local artist donors. The list goes on to include Bloomington artists Erin Hayden and Mel Cook, Peoria artists Bill Conger and Ann Coulter, and Decatur artists Lyle Salmi and Molly Hesie. We also extend beyond the region, offering works from Chicago-based artist Dawn Gettler, Brooklyn-based artist Victoria Calabro, and Minnesota artist Liz Miller, among others.

This remarkable collection of donated works is accessible to the community through this annual Silent Auction Benefit, which supports gallery programming throughout the year.

“We work to bring in artists that have strong reputations and can offer original works. It’s always encouraging to see how artists, especially in our local community, donate their own work to support visual arts in Springfield,” said Jeff Robinson, UIS Visual Arts Gallery Director. “Now we look to the broader community for continued support through bidding. It’s likely one of the best opportunities to obtain an original work of art or even a functional, unique holiday gift, and very likely at a significantly reduced price. This auction is a chance for anyone to acquire a unique work of art and, at the same time, support programming here at the Visual Arts Gallery.”

The Silent Auction Benefit will launch bidding at the UIS Visual Arts Gallery on Monday, December 2, and bidding will remain open through Thursday, December 12. A December 12 reception, scheduled from 5:30 – 7:00 p.m., will include complimentary refreshments as well as offer final bidding for auction items. This event is free and open to the public. The UIS Music Camerata will also be performing.

The UIS Visual Arts Gallery is centrally located on the UIS campus in the Health and Science Building, room 201 (HSB 201). Gallery hours are Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. For more information on exhibitions, please visit the UIS Visual Arts Gallery website at www.uis.edu/visualarts/gallery, or contact the gallery by phone at 217/206-6506 or email Allison Lacher at alach3@uis.edu.

UIS Theatre presents "Clybourne Park"

The Theatre Program at the University of Illinois Springfield presents the play Clybourne Park by Bruce Norris, opening Friday, Nov. 8. Six performances will be presented in the Studio Theatre, on the lower level of the Public Affairs Center at UIS - on Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Nov. 8, 9, and 10, and Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Nov. 14, 15, and 16. All shows will begin at 7:30 p.m., except the Sunday performance (Nov. 10), which will begin at 2 p.m. UIS Associate Professor and Director of Theatre Eric Thibodeaux-Thompson will direct the play.

Clybourne Park takes on the provocative issues of race, political correctness, and the changing social landscape in America, while still managing to make us laugh along the way. Act One takes place in 1959, in Chicago's Clybourne Park neighborhood, as the community responds to a black family buying a house there. Act Two takes place in 2009, in the same house, as the next generation of this black family struggles to hold on to its sense of identity. The New York Times calls the play “Vital, sharp-witted and ferociously smart.”

Ticket prices are $14 for adults; $12 for senior citizens (65 or older with a picture I.D.); $10 for UIS Faculty/Staff; $8 for UIS students (and all other college-level students) with a valid, current i-card or college I.D. card; and $6 for 17 and under. Please note that a service charge, not included in the prices above, from Sangamon Auditorium will be added to each ticket price, at the time of purchase. To avoid a higher service charge, buying tickets in person at the Sangamon Auditorium ticket office is highly recommended.

For more information, contact Eric Thibodeaux-Thompson at 217/206-6613 or email ethib1@uis.edu, or visit www.uis.edu/theatre.

UIS Theatre announces upcoming 2013-14 season

The Theatre Program at the University of Illinois Springfield is excited to announce its lineup for 2013-14. The season features two award-winning dramas, which explore human relationships and culture.

In the fall, the 2011 Pulitzer Prize and 2012 Tony award-winning drama Clybourne Park by Bruce Norris will be performed Nov. 8-10 and 14-16 in the Studio Theatre. The play takes on the provocative issues of race, political correctness, and the changing social landscape in America, while still managing to make us laugh along the way. Act One takes place in 1959, in Chicago's Clybourne Park neighborhood, as the community responds to a black family buying a house there. Act Two takes place in 2009, in the same house, as the next generation of this black family struggles to hold on to its sense of identity. The New York Times calls the play “Vital, sharp-witted and ferociously smart.”

UIS Associate Professor and Director of Theatre Eric Thibodeaux-Thompson will direct Clybourne Park. Open auditions/crew interviews will be held Sept. 3-4, 2013 in The Studio Theatre. Callbacks will take place on Sept. 5. Auditions and crew positions are open to students, faculty, staff, and community members. Check www.uis.edu/theatre for updated times and information.

In the spring, UIS Theatre will present Paula Vogel’s 1998 Pulitzer Prize-winning drama How I Learned to Drive on April 11-13 and 17-19, 2014. The play takes an un-flinching look at "the gifts we receive from people who hurt us,” according to Vogel. The play’s protagonist, Li'l Bit, "received the gift of how to survive," from a surprising source. Through a non-linear series of emotional, and often times funny flashbacks and recollections, Li’l Bit takes the audience on a ride that explores how a family, a culture, and a society contributed to an inappropriate relationship. This thrilling ride has been described by Dramatists Play Service as “a wildly funny, surprising and devastating tale of survival as seen through the lens of a troubling relationship between a young girl and an older man.”

UIS Associate Professor of Theatre Missy Thibodeaux-Thompson will direct How I Learned to Drive. Open auditions/crew interviews will be held Jan. 26- 27, 2014 in The Studio Theatre. Callbacks will take place on Jan. 28. Auditions and crew positions are open to students, faculty, staff, and community members. More information will be posted on www.uis.edu/theatre.

The curtain time for Thursday, Friday and Saturday night shows is 7:30 p.m. with the Sunday performance starting at 2 p.m. Ticket prices are $14 for adults, $12 for senior citizens (65 or older with a picture I.D.), $10 for UIS Faculty/Staff and $8 for UIS students (and all other college-level students) with a valid, current i-card or college I.D. card. Please note that a service charge, not included in the prices above, from Sangamon Auditorium will be added to each ticket price, at the time of purchase. To avoid a higher service charge, buying tickets in person at the Sangamon Auditorium ticket office is highly recommended.

UIS Theatre will also present “Student Directed Scenes” on December 9-10, 2013. The series will present a variety of scenes from contemporary American plays, which will be directed by UIS theatre students. For updated audition and crew information, visit www.uis.edu/theatre/.

For more information on the upcoming theatre season contact Eric Thibodeaux-Thompson at 217/206-6613 or ethib1@uis.edu.

UIS Visual Arts Gallery presents |fon' seks|: Digital Devices and the Transformation of Intimacy

The Visual Arts Gallery at the University of Illinois Springfield presents |fon' seks|: Digital Devices and the Transformation of Intimacy. This nationally juried exhibition explores the impact that digital devices have had on intimacy and previously assumed private and personal sexual behaviors.

An opening reception that includes a brief talk from the jurors, Assistant Professor of Art Dave Kube and Assistant Professor of Women and Gender Studies Michael Murphy, will take place on Thursday, March 7 from 5:30 to 8 p.m.

Celebrities, congressmen, and amorous teenagers have discovered - often to their shock and embarrassment - that the meaning of dating, relationships, romance, and even sex itself is currently being renegotiated in light of the fluorescent glow of handheld digital devices. The advent of handheld digital technology seems to have heralded something entirely new. iPhones, Blackberries, and Androids are transforming what it means to be sexually intimate in the 21st century. We are witnessing a revolution in human intimacy and this one will be televised…via the XTube mobile app on your iPhone 4GS. In light of this, how should we view the transformation of intimate relations enabled by handheld digital devices? The artists and works included in this exhibition address this core theme through a variety of responses, interpretations, and media.

Exhibiting artists include Cory Peeke, Sean Fader, Jon Henry, Craig Ryan, Chad States, Lauren McGinn, Michael Max McLeod, Jonathan Armistead, Coalfather Industries, Liat Berdugo, Erin M. Riley, and Malena Barnhart. A Best in Show Award and two Honorable Mentions will be revealed at the reception.

|fon' seks|: Digital Devices and the Transformation of Intimacy will open at the UIS Visual Arts Gallery on Monday, March 4 and run through Thursday, April 11. The opening reception will take place on Thursday, March 7 from 5:30-8 p.m., and will include a brief presentation. Complimentary refreshments will be provided. This event is free and open to the public.

The UIS Visual Arts Gallery is centrally located on the UIS campus in the Health and Science Building, room 201 (HSB 201). Gallery hours are Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. For more information exhibition programming, please visit the UIS Visual Arts Gallery website at www.uis.edu/visualarts/gallery, or contact the gallery by phone at 217/206-6506 or email alach3@uis.edu.

Cyber Defense and Disaster Recovery Conference focuses on mobile security

WHAT: “Mobile Security” is the focus of a one-day conference at the University of Illinois Springfield. The conference is hosted by the UIS' Computer Science Department, in conjunction with InfraGard Springfield, an initiative of the FBI, and CSSIA, a regional center for cyber security.

WHEN: Friday, March 8, 2013 from 8:15 a.m. - 3:40 p.m. (Registration at 7:30 a.m.)

WHERE: Conference Room C/D, located on the lower level of the Public Affairs Center (PAC) on the University of Illinois Springfield campus.

DETAILS: Experts estimate that by 2015 there will be more mobile devices than people on our planet. It is also expected that people will be seven times more likely to connect to the Internet using a mobile device than with a traditional desktop or laptop computer. We are on the move and we want to take the Internet with us in a smaller form.

What does BYOD mean for organizational security? How does the military handle troops accustomed to using personal mobile devices? What are best practices for on-the-go individuals who are tied to social media? Which moves will smartly tap into this new market of mobile viewing at minimal risk? How can your organization safely integrate mobility and security? Join us as we consider mobile security from a variety of perspectives presented by 12 speakers who are forerunners in their fields.

Dr. Newton Howard, resident scientist from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, will deliver the keynote address. Featured speakers include Michael Davis, author of Hacking Exposed. Other speakers include a senior security engineer from IBM, senior security engineer from Sophos, and the assistant vice president of IP & network operations from AT&T.

Register online at: http://csc.uis.edu/cyberconference. Registration cost is $42 through Feb. 24, $55 Feb. 25-March 3, and $75 March 4 and after. Preregistration is required. Call Janis Rose with questions at 217/206-8246.

UIS Lunch & Learn Series presents "Slavery and Emancipation"

WHAT: The University of Illinois Springfield Alumni SAGE Society and Illinois State Historical Society presents “Slavery and Emancipation” as part of its annual Lunch and Learn Series.

WHEN: Thursday, February 28 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

WHERE: Public Affairs Center (PAC) Conference Room C/D, located on the lower level of the PAC on the UIS campus.

DETAILS: As the nation celebrates the 150th anniversary of Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation, the UIS Lunch & Learn Series will examine the impact of the landmark document through two presentations.

Dr. Michael Burlingame, the Naomi Lynn Distinguished Chair in Lincoln Studies at UIS, will discuss “Lincoln’s Early and Persistent Efforts to End Slavery”. While Dr. Mathew Holden, the Wepner Distinguished Chair of Political Studies at UIS, will present on the topic of “Slavery and Emancipation in the Atlantic Quadrangle”.

The cost for the hot buffet lunch and program is $20/per person. Reservations are requested, as seating is limited. Seating is available in the back for those who do not purchase the luncheon buffet. A discounted series subscription is available for $50/per person.

Other upcoming Lunch & Learn events include “Globalization - Where We Are Headed” on March 21 and “UIS: Leadership Lived – Distinguished Insights” on April 25.

Visit www.uiaa.org/uis to register online. For more information, contact the UI Alumni Association at UIS at 217/206-7395 or email alumni@uis.edu.

UIS Speaker Series presents "Taking the River Pulse: Sustainability and Restoration of Rivers and Their Floodplains in Illinois and Brazil"

WHAT: The University of Illinois Springfield Engaged Citizenship Common Experience (ECCE) Speakers Series presents “Taking the River Pulse: Sustainability and Restoration of Rivers and Their Floodplains in Illinois and Brazil”. This presentation and discussion will be led by Professors Claudia Costa Bonecker and Michael Lemke.

WHEN: Tuesday, February 26, 2013 at 7:30 p.m.

WHERE: UIS Brookens Auditorium, located on the lower level of Brookens Library

DETAILS: The great rivers of the world have a pulse – an annual rhythm of flooding and drying. In some places, the river pulse is being removed and thus, changing the ecology and the dynamic of the river. In other places, efforts are being made to return the pulse to the rivers. The UIS Therkildsen Field Station at Emiquon is honored to have established collaboration with the scientifically prestigious NUPELIA group at The State University of Maringá in Brazil, experts in large river studies. In this presentation, Bonecker and Lemke will stress the importance of ecological study as a part of sustainability using examples from their collaborative study.

Bonecker is a distinguished ecology professor studying Continental Aquatic Environments and Comparative Biology at The State University of Maringá in Paraná State, Brazil.

Lemke is the director of the UIS Therkildsen Field Station at Emiquon and a professor of biology at UIS. His research centers on the microbiology of aquatic systems. His current focus of study is on the shallow lakes of the central reach of the Illinois River System and large rivers of Brazil.

This event is co-sponsored by World Affairs Council of Central Illinois. For a list of other upcoming ECCE Speakers Series events and more information, visit http://illinois.edu/goto/speakerseries. All events are free and open to the public.

UIS Theatre announces upcoming 2012-13 season

The Theatre program at the University of Illinois Springfield is excited to announce its lineup for 2012-13. The season features a modern adaptation of a classic French comedy and a classic American drama set in the 1930s Bronx.

In the fall, a contemporary translation of the 17th century French comedy Tartuffe by Molière will be performed Oct. 26-28 and Nov. 1-3, 2012 in the Studio Theatre. The play, subtitled, “The Hypocrite,” focuses on a religious fraud, Tartuffe, who slyly dupes a wealthy merchant, Orgon, into signing over his estate, and even his daughter, to Tartuffe. Orgon’s family readily recognizes Tartuffe’s unscrupulous behavior, and Orgon’s refusal to acknowledge Tartuffe’s fraud creates much of the comedy.

According to Oberon Books, “Molière's classic satire was denounced on its first performance as a sacrilegious outrage and banned from further public view. Only after petition to Louis XIV was the ban lifted, and the play's trenchant mockery of human frailties has ensured its popularity ever since.”

UIS Assistant Professor of Theatre Missy Thibodeaux-Thompson will direct Tartuffe. Open auditions/crew interviews will be held Sept. 4-5, 2012 in The Studio Theatre. Callbacks will take place on Sept. 6. Auditions and crew positions are open to students, faculty, staff, and community members. Check www.uis.edu/theatre for updated times and information.

In the spring, UIS Theatre will present the play Awake and Sing by Clifford Odets during April 5-7 and April 11-13, 2013 in the Studio Theatre. Originally produced by the revolutionary theatre company known as the "Group Theatre" in 1935, Awake and Sing startled audiences with a story that hit close to home--ordinary Americans struggling to survive and even hold on to their dreams in depression-era New York. This story of a struggling American family involves young Ralph Berger trying to find his own way in the world, while his sister, Hennie, strives to decide who she is: a pretty catch for some man or a leader who will chart her own course toward happiness. These yearnings cannot be denied, but Ralph and Hennie's parents--Myron and especially Bessie--have other ideas about what it means to live in the hardest of times. Today, this play delivers new resonance to audiences who find themselves in an economy seemingly unable to fully recover.

According to A Noise Within Study Guide, “Bessie attempts to protect her family from high hopes and fruitless idealism, grounding her perceptions of reality in the cold truth of struggle. However, the Berger family has a will of its own and does not always support Bessie’s iron-fisted policies, as those who seek to provide a sense of freedom and hope for Ralph and Hennie enact their own redemptive yet heartbreaking plans.”

The original Broadway production featured Stella Adler and Sanford Meisner--two young two young actors who would go on to become two of the most influential master teachers of acting during the twentieth century.

UIS Associate Professor and Director of Theatre Eric Thibodeaux-Thompson will direct Awake and Sing. Open auditions/crew interviews will be held Jan. 22 and 23, 2013 in The Studio Theatre. Callbacks will take place on Jan. 24. Auditions and crew positions are open to students, faculty, staff, and community members. More information will be posted on www.uis.edu/theatre.

The curtain time for Thursday, Friday and Saturday night shows is 7:30 p.m. with the Sunday performance starting at 2 p.m. Ticket prices are $14 for adults, $12 for senior citizens (65 or older with a picture I.D.), $10 for UIS Faculty/Staff and $8 for UIS students (and all other college-level students) with a valid, current i-card or college I.D. card. Please note that a service charge, not included in the prices above, from Sangamon Auditorium will be added to each ticket price, at the time of purchase. To avoid a higher service charge, buying tickets in person at the Sangamon Auditorium ticket office is highly recommended.

For more information on the upcoming theatre season contact Eric Thibodeaux-Thompson at 217/206-6613 or email ethib1@uis.edu.

English professor discusses J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings and Peter Jackson's films

WHAT: The University of Illinois Springfield Engaged Citizenship Common Experience (ECCE) Speakers Series presents “Sanctifying Myths: The currency of class, gender, and courage in J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings & Peter Jackson’s films”. The presentation and discussion will be led by Donna Bussell, Ph.D., assistant professor of English at UIS.

WHEN: Tuesday, July 17, 2012 at 6 p.m.

WHERE: Brookens Auditorium, located on the lower level of Brookens Library

DETAILS: In this talk, Bussell discusses J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings as a cultural export. Tolkien’s epic has become an iconic work of fantasy not only for audiences in the U.S. and U.K., but worldwide. Peter Jackson’s recent films have further popularized The Lord of the Rings and re-interpreted his work for modern audiences around the globe. This presentation highlights Tolkien’s understanding of the spiritual and cultural work of mythology and manifestations of courage in major characters such as Frodo, Sam, Arwen and Aragon. It also explores the importance of minor characters whose roles (and lower status) reveal much about the nature of courage in relation to class and gender in this story. Bussell concludes with a few thoughts on how these ideas are (or are not) treated in Jackson’s films, and the implications of these revisions for the transmission of Tolkien’s ideals.

Bussell teaches Arthurian Literature, Chaucer, History of the English Language, and other courses in medieval literature and related topics such as medieval war-craft. Her research and teaching interests include saints’ lives and literary culture, representations of male and female warriors in the middle ages, and the role of women in medieval romance, poetry, and drama.

For a list of other ECCE Speakers Series events and more information, visit http://illinois.edu/goto/speakerseries. All events are free and open to the public. This is the final Speakers Series event for summer 2012.

UIS Theatre presents Sam Shepard's "True West"

The Theatre Program at the University of Illinois Springfield will debut its second production of the 2011-12 season with the play True West by Sam Shepard, opening Friday, February 24. Six performances will be presented in the Studio Theatre, on the lower level of the Public Affairs Center at UIS - on Friday, Saturday, Sunday, February 24, 25, and 26, and Thursday, Friday, Saturday, March 1, 2, and 3. All shows will begin at 7:30 p.m. except the Sunday performance (February 26), which will begin at 2 p.m.

True West explores the challenging and volatile relationship between brothers Austin and Lee. Austin is an aspiring screenwriter, Lee an unsavory drifter. Austin's attempt at creating his own screenplay to pitch to a Hollywood producer gets undermined by Lee's con-man tactics, and the two brothers find themselves in a battle of wills with high stakes. In this "Faculty Showcase" production, the role of Lee will be played by Associate Professor of Theatre Eric Thibodeaux-Thompson.

The New York Post hails the play as "Shepard's masterwork.... It tells us a truth, as glimpsed by a 37 year old genius." While the San Francisco Chronicle exclaims, “It's clear, funny naturalistic. It's also opaque, terrifying, surrealistic. If that sounds contradictory, you're on to one aspect of Shepard's winning genius; the ability to make you think you're watching one thing while at the same time he's presenting another.”

In addition to Thibodeaux-Thompson, the rest of the cast includes alumnus Tom Hutchison as Saul, and community members Craig Rauch as Lee’s brother, Austin, with Susan Jeffers playing the role of Mom.

UIS Assistant Professor of Theatre Missy Thibodeaux-Thompson will direct. Production/Design team members include guest scene designer Bobbie Bonebrake, adjunct faculty costume designer Kate Goodman, staff member Wes Abbott as technical director, guest fight choreographer Tony Pellegrino, and alumni Tom Irwin and Elizabeth Ingram as sound designer and props master, respectively. Student production team members include: Jason Youngberg, Gretchen Addis, Grace Rossow, Kelly Zoelzer, Colin Kautz, Heather Aymer, and Sarah Steinhour, with faculty member Pamela Salela and community members David Mees and Mary Myers rounding out the crew.

Ticket prices are $12 for adults, $10 for senior citizens (65 or older with a picture I.D.), $8 for UIS Faculty/Staff and $6 for UIS students with a valid i-card*. Tickets are now available at the Sangamon Auditorium Ticket Office, located on level two of the Public Affairs Center. Purchase tickets in person, by phone at 217/206-6160 or 800/207-6960 between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, or online at www.uis.edu/theatre. Tickets will also be available at the ticket office on the day of the performance, beginning 90 minutes before curtain time. *Please note that a $2 Sangamon Auditorium “Stage Operating Surcharge” is added to all tickets purchased, and for mail and phone purchases, an additional $4 service fee is added. On-line tickets are assessed a convenience fee by Sangamon Auditorium Ticket Office based on ticket price.

For more information about this year's UIS Theatre season, contact Missy Thibodeaux-Thompson at 217/206-8307 or email mthom1@uis.edu, or visit www.uis.edu/theatre.