Happenings

Feb. 9 workshop looks at asthma risks, control

Helping participants learn to take preventive action before an attack is the goal of "Breathing for Life: Asthma Risks, Triggers and Control," a workshop being offered by Healthy U Feb. 9 in the MSU Union.

The free workshop, open to MSU employees and students, will feature three presentations in Parlors B-C to enhance understanding of asthma:

"Ways to Control Asthma and Improve the Quality of Your Life" from 11 to 11:30 a.m.
"Asthma Care and Education at Olin Health Center" from 11:30 a.m. to noon.
"Physical Activity and Asthma" from noon to 12:30 p.m.

An exhibitors' fair is set for 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in Gold Room A, and a complimentary lunch will be available in Parlor A.

Registration deadline is Feb. 2. To register, call 353-2596, email healthyu@msu.edu or visit the Web at:
www.msu.edu/unit/healthyu/

KBS's renovated manor house open for tours

The Kellogg Biological Station in Hickory Corners has opened the freshly stained doors of its manor house to the public.

The restored 1920s neo-Tudor style summer home of Battle Creek cereal pioneer W.K. Kellogg is now open for tours. The house's features include a one-of-a-kind Rookwood tile fireplace depicting a medieval joust, handmade multicolor cer-amic roof and a hand-carved solid oak stairway.

Tour guides will share the house's history from its use as a World War II Coast Guard training center to a women's dormitory. Tours will be offered at 2, 3 and 4 p.m. Feb. 18, March 18 and April 22. Admission is $6 for adults, $5 for senior citizens and $4 for students ages 5-18.

For more information, call (616) 671-2356.

MSU Museum Chocolate Party set for Feb. 25

The sweetest ticket in town is for the 12th annual MSU Museum Chocolate Party benefit presented by Kellogg Center.

Chocolate lovers can indulge for a great cause – the care and preservation of the museum's natural and cultural history collections.

The Chocolate Party benefit, set for 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Feb. 25, features samples to savor from the area's finest chocolatiers.

Chocolate cake, chocolate tortes, chocolate cheesecake, chocolate candy and fudge, and even chocolate bread samples will be featured.

As a special treat for the truly confessed chocolate connoisseurs, the Chocolate Party also presents professional chefs demonstrating chocolate techniques, the "Choco-late Lover's Companion" recipe book and a competition of chocolate masterpieces from 40 regional chefs and students.

Tickets are now on sale at the MSU Museum Store and area businesses at $25 for the general public and $22 for MSU Museum members.

For more information, call 355-2370 or visit the Web at:
www.museum.msu.edu

Study abroad options focus of Jan. 31 fair

The Office of Study Abroad invites the MSU community – students, faculty and staff – to the Spring Study Abroad Fair from 2 to 6 p.m. Jan. 31 on the second floor of the MSU Union.

Students can talk with faculty program leaders, chat with other students who recently studied abroad and have general study abroad questions answered by Office of Study Abroad staff members.

Academic advisers will be available to discuss program requirements, financial aid personnel will answer funding questions and Olin Travel Clinic will provide health safety information.

Also, those attending the fair can view artifacts, photos, slides and videos from around the world. There will be giveaways and a raffle for $50 gift certificates from the MSU Bookstore.

For more information, call 432-2685.

Humorist Baxter Black to speak at vet conference

The latest developments in the areas of bovine tuberculosis and equine health, and an appearance by well-known humorist Baxter Black will be among the highlights of the 13th annual Michigan Veterinary Conference.

Hosted by the College of Veterinary Medicine and the Michigan Veterinary Medical Association, the conference runs through Jan. 28. Most sessions will be held at the Lansing Center.

Michigan's bovine TB situation will be a major topic of discussion at this year's conference. There will be updates on recent research in bovine TB, how the state is handling the crisis, and how bovine TB is affecting privately owned herds of cattle.

Black, described as a "poet, philosopher and large-animal veterinarian," has amused National Public Radio "Morning Edition" listeners since 1988 with his humorous stories.

For information, contact David Sprecher, College of Veterinary Medicine, at 355-4466.

Osteo med series hosts visiting minority faculty

"Slavery to Freedom: An American Odyssey" will be the theme of the Visiting Minority Faculty Lecture Series presented in February by the College of Osteopathic Medicine.

Four nationally prominent black pastors will give free public presentations and will interact with students during their time on campus.

First in the series is the Rev. Dr. Charles G. Adams, pastor of Hartford Memorial Baptist Church in Detroit, who will present "Black Economic Development/Empow-erment" at 4 p.m. Feb. 1 in Big Ten Room B, Kellogg Center.

Second in the series is the Rev. Dr. Wyatt T. Walker, senior pastor of the Canaan Baptist Church of Christ in Harlem, who will present "Roots, Musically Speaking" at 4 p.m. Feb. 8 in Meeting Rooms B-D, Breslin Student Events Center.

Next is the Rev. Dr. Joseph Lowery, co-founder and president emeritus of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, which he co-founded with Martin Luther King Jr. Lowrey will present "Profiling the Impact of the Black Presence in America" at 4 p.m. Feb. 15 in Big Ten Room B, Kellogg Center.

The final speaker is the Rev. Dr. Otis Moss Jr., pastor of Olivet Institutional Baptist Church in Cleveland, Ohio, who will present "Transition from Slavery to Freedom" at 4 p.m. Feb. 22 in the Kellogg Center Auditorium.

For more information or reservations, call 432-4979.

Interdisciplinary series explores 'edge' of science

With traditionally distinct science disciplines merging to create new and startling opportunities, an interdisciplinary seminar series has been created at MSU to explore "Science at the Edge."

The initiative, involving the biological and physical sciences and engineering, will present distinguished speakers from both on and off campus at 11:30 a.m. each Friday throughout the semester. Refreshments will be served at 11:15.

The next four offerings are:

Jan. 26 – "Atomistic Modeling of the Inorganic and Organic Carbon World, Don Brenner, North Caroling State University, in 1281 Anthony Hall.

Feb. 2 – "Rigidity of Molecular Structures," Walker Whiteley, York University, in 224 Physics-Astronomy Building.

Feb. 9 – "Evolution of Muta-tional Robustness: Opportunities from Constraints," Gunter Wagner, Yale University, in 224 Physics-Astronomy Building.

Feb. 16 – "Nineteen Degrees of Separation: Topological Structure of the WWW," Albert-L‡szl— Barab‡si, Notre Dame University, in 224 Physics-Astronomy Building.

For the complete seminar schedule, visit the Web at:
www.pa.msu.edu/seminars/edge/

For seminar details, including links to speaker homepages, visit the Web at:
www.pa.msu.edu/seminars/ctss/ and
biomodel.msu.edu