Annual UIS symposium to showcase student research, creativity and talent

WHAT: The University of Illinois Springfield presents the 5th annual Student Technology, Arts & Research Symposium (STARS). The two-day event showcases student research and creative activities during the academic year.

WHEN: Thursday, April 14 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. & Friday, April 15 from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

WHERE: UIS campus – with various presentations in the Sangamon Auditorium Lobby, Public Affairs Center, and Brookens Auditorium

DETAILS: UIS undergraduate and graduate students will present their research and creative activities through short talks, poster presentations, art exhibitions and musical performances. All events are free and open to the public.

The symposium events begin on Thursday, April 14, with oral and poster presentations from students in the College of Business and Management and musical performances. Events on Friday, April 15, include additional student oral presentations, a reading of the student directed play Resurfacing, as well as poster presentations, art exhibitions and music. Students will also launch the literary journal Alchemist Review on Friday.

Two keynote presentations will take place on Friday in Brookens Auditorium. Dr. Edem Agamah, associate professor of clinical internal medicine at the Southern Illinois University School of Medicine and founder of the International Health and Development Network will speak at 1:30 p.m. Danielle Evans, author of the short story collection Before You Suffocate Your Own Fool Self and winner of the PEN/Robert W. Bingham Prize, will speak at 7 p.m.

View the schedule at http://www.uis.edu/undergraduateresearch/stars/ or contact Meagan Cass, assistant professor of English, with questions at 217/206-8358 or mcass3@uis.edu.

UIS alumnus working on Capitol Hill to discuss violence against women legislation

WHAT: The University of Illinois Springfield Engaged Citizenship Common Experience (ECCE) Speaker Series presents “From Capital Scholar to Capitol Hill: My education in Violence Against Women Legislation” featuring UIS alumnus Kyle Simpson. He currently works as a legislative aide for U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill of Missouri.

WHEN: Wednesday, April 6, 2016 at 6:00 p.m.

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

DETAILS: Simpson will speak on his role working on a legislation to address and reduce violence against women and end college sexual violence. He will also discuss the history of such legislation in the United States. He will relate his work on violence against women issues to how his education from UIS paved the way for providing himself with the knowledge and experience that led him to his work on Capitol Hill.

Simpson is a 2007 graduate of the UIS Capital Scholars Honors Program. After serving Congressman Phil Hare, he continued to work in politics, for Illinois Congressman Bill Foster and U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill. His experiences, both from his UIS education and his work on Capitol Hill have brought him close to both national issues and local concerns.

This event is sponsored by the UIS Women’s Center and co-sponsored by the Capitol Scholars Honors Program and the Student Government Association.

For a list of other upcoming ECCE Speaker Series events and more information, visit www.uis.edu/speakerseries/. All events are free and open to the public.

UIS Friday Night Star Parties resume in April

The University of Illinois Springfield’s popular Friday Night Star Parties will resume in April. Those dates include: April 1, 8, 15 and 22. Friday Night Star Parties are held from 8 to 10 p.m., weather permitting, at the UIS observatory on the roof of Brookens Library.

Star Parties are hosted by John Martin, associate professor of Astronomy/Physics. The observatory’s telescopes will be used to view a number of celestial objects including Jupiter, the Moon, the Great Nebula in Orion and other double stars and star clusters when visible.

A typical Star Party begins with a presentation as visitors ascend the stairs to the observatory, learning about galaxies, the sun and stars along the way. On the roof observation deck visitors are invited to view the skies through telescopes and ask questions. Participants are welcome to arrive and leave as they wish between 8 and 10 p.m.

Friday Night Star Parties are free and open to the public. Reservations are not required and groups are encouraged to attend. The entrance to the campus observatory is located outside Brookens Library on the southeast corner of the building.

Star Parties may be canceled for cloudy weather. Questions about whether the weather is suitable for viewing should be directed to 217/206-8342 at 7 p.m. on the evening of the Star Party. Participants may also follow the UIS Observatory on Twitter (@UISObservatory) for updates.

For more information on Star Parties, email John Martin at jmart5@uis.edu or visit www.uis.edu/astronomy/about/starparties/.

UIS Speaker Series presents "ISIL-linked operatives in the United States and their implications"

WHAT: The World Affairs Council of Central Illinois and the University of Illinois Springfield Engaged Citizenship Common Experience (ECCE) Speaker Series present a discussion on “ISIL-linked operatives in the United States and their implications”. Dean Alexander, professor of criminal justice and the director of the Homeland Security Research Program at Western Illinois University, will be the featured speaker.

WHEN: Wednesday, March 30, 2016 at 7:30 p.m.

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

DETAILS: We know that the Islamic State has beheaded scores of captives and claimed responsibility for recent terrorist attacks in Paris and Nigeria. We understand that they could topple governments in Syria and Iraq. We are aware that the Islamic State is recruiting members from the United States. However, do we really know who the members of the Islamic State are, what motivates them, and who is leading it? Can the Islamic State be defeated by military power, or is another strategy needed? How can we limit the flow of recruits to the Islamic State and prevent attacks by this group on our soil? Renowned expert on terrorism and security, Dean Alexander, who recently wrote The Islamic State: Combating the Caliphate Without Borders, will answer these questions and others at his presentation on the Islamic State.

Alexander has lectured about terrorism and security to NATO, the U.S. State Department, the Illinois State Terrorism Unit and many other organizations. He has also consulted for the Organization of American States, the World Bank, and a number of companies. He has written numerous journal articles and books about terrorism and security. Alexander has law degrees from Georgetown University Law Center (LL.M.) and American University, Washington College of Law (J.D.).

For a list of other upcoming ECCE Speaker Series events and more information, visit www.uis.edu/speakerseries/. All events are free and open to the public.

UIS Speaker Series presents "A Call to Action: Local Media's Role in Shaping Public Policy"

WHAT: The University of Illinois Springfield Engaged Citizenship Common Experience (ECCE) Speaker Series presents “A Call to Action: Local Media's Role in Shaping Public Policy” featuring Pulitzer Prize-winning UIS alumnus Mitch Pugh, executive editor of The Post and Courier newspaper of Charleston, S.C. The event is free and open to the public.

WHEN: Thursday, March 24, 2016 at 4:00 p.m.

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

DETAILS: Engaged local news media can play an important role in driving public debate and, ultimately, public policy. But as newsrooms across America shrink, the expensive and time-consuming art of investigative, watchdog and public service journalism has clearly diminished. The result has been fewer eyes watching the halls of power and government officials who are increasingly hostile to the public's responsibility, through the press, to hold them accountable. Yet, there is hope as privately held, locally owned news organizations have begun reversing the trend and investing in investigative journalism. Drawing upon examples from The Post and Courier's Pulitzer Prize-winning series about domestic violence, "Till Death Do Us Part," Pugh will argue about the importance of local media in social change.

Pugh is the winner of the 2015 Pulitzer Prize for Public Service. In his time as editor in Charleston, S.C., the paper has won several prestigious journalism awards including the George Polk Award, Silver Gavel Award, the 2015 John Jay College/Harry Frank Guggenheim Award and the American Society of News Editors' Local Accountability Award. A native of Riverton, Illinois, he has been the editor of newspapers in Colorado, Iowa, and Missouri.

This event is sponsored by the UIS Chancellor's Office and the Department of English and Modern Languages. It is co-sponsored by the UIS Departments of Communication, Women and Gender Studies and the Women's Center.

For a list of other upcoming ECCE Speaker Series events and more information, visit www.uis.edu/speakerseries/.

UIS Lunch & Learn Series presents "The Past as Prologue: Climate"

WHAT: The University of Illinois Springfield’s Office of Advancement, Alumni SAGE Society, Chancellor’s Office and the Illinois State Historical Society presents “The Past as Prologue: Climate” as part of the Lunch and Learn Series.

WHEN: Wednesday, March 30 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: Gillen D’Arcy Wood, author and professor of English at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, will discuss the 1815 eruption of Mount Tambora, the largest volcanic eruption in history, which changed global temperatures, ocean circulation patterns and created epidemics.

Stuart Fliege, author and Illinois State Historical Society vice president, will speak on “Lost Illinois: The Forgotten (and Misremembered) History of the Prairie State.”

The cost for the hot buffet lunch and program is $23/per person. Reservations are requested, as seating is limited.

Other upcoming Lunch & Learn events include “The Future of the Past: Museums” on April 19. These lunch-time programs will stimulate thinking as they build upon the university's tradition of open and intelligent dialogue.

Visit www.uis.edu/advancement/alumni/ to register online. For more information, contact the UIS Office of Advancement at 217/206-6058 or email advancement@uis.edu.