It was unexpected to come to work here and find this kind of emotional attachment to art, said Reggie Edwards.

James Britt is not an art historian.

He’s a former law enforcement officer and one of the security guards at the Ackland Art Museum on campus. The security and safety of the museum’s artwork and its visitors are his primary responsibilities.

“But I have an eye,” said the Chapel Hill native, who grew up in the nearby Northside neighborhood in a family who put a premium on learning and taught him to think critically about the objects around him.

If people stare quizzically at a painting or sculpture in the museum, he can help them find a connection with it.

James Britt explains the significance of a selection of Chinese ceramics and vessels collected from the Neolithic period to the 18th century in the Asian Art gallery at the Ackland Art Museum.

“Not everyone wants to know more about what they see, but if they do, all they have to do is ask,” he said.

Emily Kass, the museum’s director, said the Ackland is fortunate to have people like Britt and his co-worker Reggie Edwards.

“We have an excellent security staff,” she said. “They have a genuine interest in and commitment to the museum and its success.”

Making connections

Gerard Seghers’ Noli Me Tangere is another of Britt’s favorite paintings.

“I was one of the guinea pigs,” he said. “We were selected, and we were asked if we wanted to go. My parents left that up to me.”

His parents read the papers, and quizzed the children on current events. An uncle gave Britt a set of encyclopedias, and on Sundays his father sent him downtown for a New York Times. He felt prepared to enter an educational world that was unlike the one in which he’d spent his elementary years.

“In my house, learning was second nature,” Britt said. “My parents had to remind me not to cut out articles on current events before they could get to the paper.”

Growing up near the Ackland, he had walked through its galleries, wondering if he might be “the only black face to walk in here who wasn’t a janitor.” To a child, the museum was dark, almost spooky.

“At first, I couldn’t make any connections to the art,” he said.

But Britt’s mother and grandmother collected antiques and old furniture they found interesting or significant. Their appreciation for objects rubbed off on him, as did their discerning way of viewing them.

“Art is your window to the world. I wasn’t going to go to China as a young man, but I could look at what they used to drink their tea, learn a little bit about their ceremonies, and then look at my mama’s sets at home,” he said. “That is where it all expands.”

Watching patrons make similar connections to the Ackland’s art – how it expands in their minds and their view of the community when they leave – is one of the pleasures of guarding the art at the Ackland, Britt said.

More than meets the eye

Whether or not Britt likes a particular work is irrelevant. But there’s very little he is unable to tell you about what’s hanging on the museum’s walls. “I know enough to lead you somewhere, and if I don’t know, you’re not going to leave here with the wrong information. I’m going to get you a staff member.”

Britt has a curious mind, which he decided long ago not to leave at the door.

“I love to learn, so that’s always been my challenge to myself, not to walk out of here without learning something new, or helping someone else learn something if I can,” he said.

As a father and a grandfather, Britt can easily read the facial expressions of the small children in the galleries. He knows when they are curious or confused, pensive or perplexed.

“Often there’s something I can tell them that will trigger a memory, or something from their own lives, that will get them to make a connection,” he said.

The thirst for knowledge

Edwards shows a patron Rose Piper’s Slow Down Freight Train.

“They might think they aren’t supposed to talk to us, or that we’ll have no idea what we’re talking about,” Edwards said. “But if they want to have a conversation, they’ll find out it’s just the opposite, that we can help them.”

Like Britt, Edwards grew up in Chapel Hill – a few generations later. He attended the schools Britt had helped to integrate. It was through watching both his supervisor, Debbie Pulley, and Britt that Edwards learned how connecting to the art and the patrons could enrich his day.

“No one tells us we have to do this, but we take it on ourselves. The fact that we’re a museum with a smaller scale allows us to interact more intimately with visitors,” he said.

“When you come in, we are the ones who will give you a map and remind you to use a pencil. But we can do so much more. These are the lessons that I learned from Debbie, who has worked at the museum for more than 20 years.”

Edwards has young children, and he wants them to see the way his job at the Ackland continues to change how he sees the world around him, and how important it is to keep learning.

“It was unexpected to come to work here and find this kind of emotional attachment to art,” he said. “Sometimes I just sit down in front of a piece when the museum is empty, and I really look. I always see something new.”

Deeper level of understanding

Not only do the members of the security staff have an impressive level of knowledge, they also have excellent people skills, Kass said. “Particularly James and Reggie, who have been with the Ackland for many years,” she said.

Kass said that while their main duties are to ensure safety and security, visitor and guest relations is also an important part of their work. “Since providing excellent customer service is a value we instill throughout the museum, it is important that the first people our patrons see represent the Ackland in this positive way.”

One particular painting is a favorite for both guards: Rose Piper’s “Slow Down Freight Train,” which some people interpret as depicting a man riding on a train to escape slavery.

“There’s a lot of art in here that touches me,” Britt said. “And that one, in particular, is a favorite of all time.”

Edwards explained his fascination with the painting: “He’s hopped the train north, trying to get away from slavery. No matter how bad my day gets, I look at this painting, because I know, at least I’m not escaping slavery.”

When Edwards first came to the Ackland in 2005, he was drawn to the painting, but became even more so after Piper died, when her ex-husband came to the museum to view the painting. The two connected over the story behind the painting.

“That’s what makes this art real for me – I can always count on meeting somebody or learning something about a painting that stands out,” he said.

The guards at the Ackland are not always able to talk to visitors. And not all patrons want to talk – and that’s OK, both security guards say.

“But for those who are curious about a particular work of art,” Britt said, “if we can tell them the story of the painting that helps them find a deeper meaning, it’s a big bonus to them and to us.”

Celebrate the Fourth of July

Locally Grown Music and Movie Series

Spaces still available in Theatre Quest

Malian musician Bassekou Kouyate will play at Memorial Hall with his band Ngoni Ba and musician Fatoumata Diawara in the spring.

Carolina Performing Arts announces new season of virtuosos

The best in modern dance, classical concerts, world music, American roots and jazz will come to Carolina this fall when Carolina Performing Arts (CPA) kicks off the 2013–14 season.

“We are thrilled to present artists from around the world whose curiosities, ideas and risk-taking truly identify them as 21st-century virtuosos,” said Emil Kang, director of CPA and Carolina’s executive director for the arts.

The season will begin September 27 with legends Maceo Parker and George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic. Other fall highlights include L-E-V, with Israeli choreographer Sharon Eyal and her partner Gai Behar, András Schiff performing J.S. Bach’s “Goldberg Variations” and singer/songwriters Lyle Lovett and John Hiatt in late October.

The Manganiyar Seduction will bring a show that is a combination of  rock concert, global music performance and dazzling theatrical experience, and Grammy Award-winner Taj Mahal will lead a celebration of the global influence of American blues music.

Harry Bicket and The English Concert will bring a rare concert opera interpretation of Handel’s “Theodora” in the spring, and jazz drummer Jack DeJohnette will join Joe Lovano, Esperanza Spalding and Leo Genovese in The Spring Quartet.

Pianist Lang Lang, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, and Jazz at Lincoln Center with Wynton Marsalis will return to Memorial Hall this season. Conductor Damien Sneed and his gospel choir, Chorale Le Chateau, will join Marsalis and his orchestra to blend jazz with elements of an African-American church service. Bluegrass and folk musician Chris Thile will bring his own compositions and pieces from his recent Bach recording.

Abigail Washburn and Béla Fleck will mix traditional music with their original songs, violinist Joshua Bell will return with Academy of St. Martin in the Fields and Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan will bring their captivating “Songs of the Wanderers” to Chapel Hill. New York City Ballet principal dancer Wendy Whelan will perform a series of duets created and performed with four dynamic young choreographers.

Family programs includes the return of STREB, movement performance that mixes dance and action sports, and “The Nutcracker.”

Carolina Performing Arts will offer subscriptions and single tickets to faculty, staff and students beginning June 12. Faculty and staff can also save up to 35 percent on packages. Student tickets are only $10.

Single tickets go on sale to the general public on June 20. Subscriptions are available on June 18. For more details, visit www.carolinaperformingarts.org.

Participate in focus group for Carolina Women’s Center

The Carolina Women’s Center is looking for UNC employees to participate in a focus group for the center’s program evaluation and needs assessment. Multiple opportunities will be offered between June 17 and July 2. Groups will discuss what type of programs the Carolina Women’s Center could provide to meet staff needs. Responses will be confidential and refreshments will be provided. To see times and locations or RSVP, visit go.unc.edu/j5K3J or contact Megan Dale at medale@live.unc.edu or 919-962-8305.

East Cameron Avenue closed to through traffic

East Cameron Avenue will be closed from Columbia Street to Memorial Hall through mid-August.

The closing is necessary due to OWASA’s work to replace an OWASA drinking water line and install University chilled water pipes in that area of East Cameron Avenue. Drivers are encouraged to use the posted detour along Raleigh, Franklin and Columbia Streets.

View map by visiting go.unc.edu/d2GNz.

ConnectCarolina town hall meetings

Get a first look at the ConnectCarolina finance system at two town hall meetings. The first will be June 12 from 3 to 4:30 p.m. in G100 Genome Science Building. The meeting is open to all with no registration required. The focus will be on the finance implementation with demonstrations of the new systems for departmental deposit, voucher inquiry and budget journal.

A meeting focused on human resources and payroll will be held June 27 at 10 a.m. in 100 Hamilton Hall.

Visit ccinfo.unc.edu for more information.

‘Doors of Chapel Hill always open’

Chapel Hill Mayor Mark Kleinschmidt offered the keys to Chapel Hill to Chancellor Holden Thorp and his wife, Patti, proclaiming that the doors of Chapel Hill are always open to the Thorps.

Kleinschmidt praised them for their service, which has not only benefitted the community, it also has transformed town-gown relations.

“The other night, I kind of stumbled on a phrase that I wish I would have thought of earlier: Together, the two of you have really exemplified what it means to be a citizen-chancellor at a state university,” he said.

The June 6 ceremony, originally intended for the Old Well, was held inside South Building due to rain. Thorp will become provost of Washington University July 1.

Carolina North generator turns landfill gas into electricity

The first project completed at Carolina North sets the tone for the UNC campus to be a model of sustainability. This spring, an Army green, 1,000- kilowatt generator shipped from Austria started turning a greenhouse gas into electricity for the local energy grid.

Landfill gas, largely methane, is produced by the breakdown of materials within buried waste. Unchecked, gas pressure builds within a landfill and ultimately releases into the atmosphere, contributing to pollution and global warming.

“We are grateful that we have been able to harness this greenhouse gas that is harmful to the atmosphere and convert it into energy that will eventually fuel the growth of Carolina North,” Chancellor Holden Thorp said. “It’s also a great example of how the University and local governments can work together for their mutual benefit.”

At first, the electricity generated will go back to the Duke Energy grid. Later, exhaust from the generator will be used to heat buildings at Carolina North, recycling heat that would otherwise be wasted.

For more information, see go.unc.edu/t4Z5A.

New exhibitions at the Ackland

Two new exhibitions will open at the Ackland Art Museum June 14. For more information, visit ackland.org.

“Adding to the Mix 6: Raymond Jonson’s Abstract Naught (1930)”explores two divergent themes – landscape conventions of the American West and serial artistic production – using the recently acquired painting “Abstract Naught (1930)” by New Mexico artist Raymond Jonson as a focus.

“In Pursuit of Strangeness: Wyeth and Westermann in Dialogue” considers diverse responses in American art to the idea of home, as well as domestic architecture’s role in defining the boundaries between ourselves and the outside world, through the works of Andrew Wyeth and H.C. Westermann.

Jane Austen Summer Program at UNC

Organized by the Department of English and Comparative Literature in conjunction with the Program in the Humanities, this four-day summer program celebrates the 200th anniversary of the publication of Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice.”

Lectures and discussions are scheduled daily. Discussions will focus on “Pride and Prejudice” in its historical context as well as its many afterlives in fiction and film.

Additional events include a Regency Ball, the chance to partake in an English tea, a silent auction of Austen-related items and the opportunity to view special exhibits tailored to the conference.

For registration, prices and a complete agenda, visit go.unc.edu/Lb9o4.

John Masson’s wife, Patricia, center, is joined on the bench in Masson’s honor by his sisters, Jeanne Webb and Linda Murphy.

Nash Park bench honors Masson’s life, work

Last month, family, friends and colleagues of John Masson dedicated a bench in Nash Park to his memory.

Nash Park, on Pittsboro Street, is where Nash Hall stood before it was demolished in 2007 to allow for replacement of the steam tunnel that connects the University’s Cogeneration Facility on Cameron Avenue to campus buildings. Masson was the Facilities Planning project manager for the project, which he began planning in collaboration with Energy Services in 2005.

Masson was diagnosed with leukemia and died in June 2012. Throughout his illness, he continued to manage the steam tunnel project, often emailing from home or the hospital. His colleagues thought the bench in Nash Park, literally on top of the steam tunnel, would be a fitting way to honor Masson’s work on this complex project and the many others he managed during his 24 years at UNC.

Carolina Global Photography Competition now open

Fulbright-Hays dissertation applications due May 21

Carolina Family Scholarship

Kerr Lake

Employee Permits for Kerr Lake

Kerr Lake Recreation Area is a 230-acre peninsula bordering Kerr Lake and open to UNC employees, retirees and students.

Kerr Lake is just north of Henderson, and one of North Carolina’s most popular locations for water sports, hiking, fishing, camping and outdoor relaxation.

Daily or annual use permits are available for purchase. For more information and complete policies, visit campusrec.unc.edu/kerr-lake.

Events from the Program in the Humanities

Humanities in Action events will be at Flyleaf Books at 5:30 p.m. Tuition is $18 in advance, $20 at the door and $8 for members of the General Alumni Association. More information at humanities.unc.edu

• May 22 – For “A Winter’s Tour: Putting a Face on Poverty in North Carolina,” Gene Nichol, Boyd Tinsley Distinguished Professor and Director of the Center on Poverty, Work and Opportunity, will review what he believes to be the state’s largest problem – the moral challenge presented by poverty. He has spent this past year traveling across North Carolina with journalists, donors, students, professors, activists and ministers in an effort to put a face on poverty.
• May 29 – The program will host an event considering the Affordable Care Act, exploring how health-care reform will change lives in North Carolina and what it will mean for Medicaid, Medicare, private insurance and the uninsured.
• June 6 – Brett Whalen, associate professor of history, will explain the origins of the papacy, how medieval popes justified their leadership over the Catholic Church, the separation of “church” and “state” and historical challenges to papal authority for his lecture “The Medieval Papacy: Religion and Politics in Christian Europe.”

Registration is required for Adventures in Ideas programs. Tuition is $125 or $62.50 for teachers. Check humanities.unc.edu for location.

• May 31–June 1 – “The Invention of Religion from the Renaissance to the Enlightenment” will feature Renaissance scholar John Jeffries Martin for a series of lectures on the invention of religion from the Renaissance to the Enlightenment from 4:30 p.m. Friday to noon Saturday.
• June 8 – In the seminar “The Cold War: Crisis, Character and Competition,” a group of scholars will present new research on the unpublished diaries of Leonid Brezhnev; explore revolution, decolonization and the two “hot wars” between the superpowers; and discuss the things that shaped the Cold War conflict. The event runs from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

New York’s The TEAM to present work-in-progress May 29

PlayMakers Repertory Company will host New York theater ensemble The TEAM as it develops a new performance piece. The TEAM’s newest theatrical work is being developed with artistic, technical and administrative support provided by PlayMakers. The ensemble will unveil the work-in-progress May 29 at 7:30 p.m. at the Center for Dramatic Art. The performance is free and open to the public, and a discussion with the creative artists will follow. To reserve seats, contact the PlayMakers box office at 919-962-7529. The ensemble is the third participant in the PlayMakers residency, which is supported by a $200,000 grant from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

Carolina joins Instagram and Pinterest

Carolina is now sharing images on Instagram, an online photo-sharing service and social media tool.

Follow the University at unchapelhill in your mobile Instagram feed for photos of the people, places, events and scenes at UNC.

You can also follow Carolina on Pinterest, an online sharing board, at pinterest.com/uncchapelhill. Boards include Campus Scenes, Research at Carolina, Tar Heel History, Carolina Weddings and more.

To keep up with UNC departments and units from across campus on social media, visit unc.edu/social.

Work-study training sessions

The Office of Scholarships and Student Aid offers training sessions for full-time, permanent faculty and staff members interested in joining the Federal Work-Study Program. Training is mandatory and covers topics such as institutional and federal guidelines, student payroll, the job classification system, documenting student hours, creating job descriptions and marketing jobs online.

Two sessions will be held in 121 Hanes Art Center:

• May 22, 10 to 11:30 a.m.; and
• June 27, 2 to 3:30 p.m.

Submit programs for Family Weekend

The Office of New Student and Carolina Parent Programs invites campus units to participate in Family Weekend 2013, held Sept. 27–29. Offices, centers and groups are encouraged to host educational seminars, open houses, specialized tours or other related programming to provide families with opportunities to learn about Carolina, explore the campus community, stay informed about campus life and connect with faculty and staff.

To get involved in Family Weekend, contact Samantha Young, coordinator of New Student and Carolina Parent Programs, at newstudents@unc.edu with program details no later than May 24.

The Ugandan Inspiration, Kabakuru, in alabaster, 18×8, 2003, Toni Scott

Bloodlines: The Work of Toni Scott

Bloodlines, by Los Angeles sculptor, painter and multi-media artist Toni Scott, is a large-scale installation on the subject of the African-American journey from slavery to freedom, on exhibit at the Stone Center through Aug. 1.

Scott uses photography, graphic design and digital rendering to speak of resilience and tragedy, hope and history.

For details, visit sonjahaynesstonectr.unc.edu.

Webcast to focus on early childhood development

“Early Childhood Development: Investing in Our Children and Our Future” is the subject of the 19th National Health Equity Research Webcast on June 4 from 1:30 to 4 p.m.

This free session will be broadcast with a live audience in the Tate-Turner-Kuralt auditorium and can be viewed live online. Questions will be taken from participants by email and social media. For information, visit go.unc.edu/x6QPa.

Donate compost materials to the community garden

The Carolina Campus Community Garden accepts compost donations from community members, faculty, staff and students, which helps the garden and keeps compostable scraps out of the landfill.

Compost donations are chopped and incorporated into one of eight compost bins to begin the process of decomposition.

The final product, called “black gold,” is used to increase the nutrient content of the beds, growing new food from old food.

For details on donation, including bin locations and a list of accepted composting materials, visit uncgarden.web.unc.edu.

Skywatching with Morehead Planetarium June 15

The Morehead Planetarium and Science Center’s monthly skywatching sessions are free and open to the public. Under a starry night sky, enjoy telescopic views of beautiful objects (including planets, nebulae, star clusters and the moon), an informal tour of the constellations with a Morehead educator, constellation myths and legends, and experienced observers available to answer questions about astronomy.

The next skywatching session is June 15 at Jordan Lake State Recreation Area from 9 to 11 p.m. For more information, visit go.unc.edu/x8F9M.

Yoga in the Galleries

Explore the world of yoga in the beautiful setting of the Ackland Art Museum June 4 and June 18 at noon. The hour-long session offered by registered yoga teacher Joanne Marshall will provide an opportunity to practice a series of gentle yoga poses inspired by the art in the gallery. Beginners are welcome, and yoga mats are provided. Wear comfortable clothing that will allow you to stretch. Yoga is free for members and students with a UNC OneCard, and $5 for others. Register online at go.unc.edu/r8ASi.

Employee Forum award nominations

South Columbia Street construction

DNA Day 5k

Philosopher's Way Trail Run

The Philosopher’s Way 7k and 15k trail runs, scheduled for May 4, follow single-track trails in the Carolina North Forest. The event will promote awareness of the forest and UNC’s active management program. Proceeds are directed to trail planning and maintenance. The 15k race will start at 8 a.m. and the 7k will start at 8:20 a.m., with door prizes and awards to follow. Register at go.unc.edu/Jt8o7.

Carolina Moonlight Gala on May 18

The second annual Carolina Moonlight Gala will be held May 18 from 7 to 11 p.m. to benefit the North Carolina Botanical Garden. Amid the beautiful plant collections surrounding the LEED platinum-certified Education Center, the event will feature food and beverages, a live auction, music, dancing and more. Browse silent auction items at go.unc.edu/Nj8r7; bidding opens May 4.

For tickets, see go.unc.edu/Mw8i9. For information, email ncbgmoonlightgala@gmail.com or call 919-259-3063.

James Reston Jr. visits UNC

Journalist and author James Reston Jr., Carolina class of 1963, will read from his forthcoming books “The Real Target in Dallas” and “The Nineteenth Hijacker” May 7 at 5:30 p.m. in the Pleasants Family Assembly Room in Wilson Library.

Reston served as an assistant to U.S. Secretary of the Interior Stewart Udall from 1964 to 1965 and was a UNC lecturer in creative writing from 1971 to 1981. Actor Sam Rockwell depicted him in the 2008 film “Frost/Nixon.”

For information, contact Liza Terll at 919-548-1203 or liza_terll@unc.edu.

Emerging Company Showcase

Fourteen startup companies based on innovations from UNC will present at the annual Emerging Company Showcase on May 9 from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at the Friday Center.

Featured start-ups include scientific firms poised to market new discoveries related to air quality, targeted oncology drugs, cataract surgery, solar power and other areas. Firms in the technology/social track are tackling such diverse topics as tobacco control and prevention, educational course material design, environmentally friendly portable toilets, medical equipment donation, mapping applications and quality swim lessons. Admission is free, but RSVP is required: go.unc.edu/Qw2t9. For information, contact Andrew Kant at 919-962-4729 or akant@email.unc.edu.

Fridays on the Front Porch

Fridays on the Front Porch has food, live music, a cash bar and fellowship on the front lawn of the Carolina Inn on Friday nights at 5 p.m. through the beginning of October. There is no cover charge or need for reservations. go.unc.edu/z6NZq

Celebration of Inventorship

The annual Celebration of Inventorship, honoring UNC innovators who have had U.S. patents issued during the 2012 calendar year, will be held May 2 at 5:30 p.m. in the Great Room at the Top of the Hill Restaurant and Brewery.

Maurice Brookhart, William R. Kenan, Jr. Professor of Chemistry, will be honored for his innovation contributions at the University. Brookhart will share an overview of his work and the ongoing developments in the commercialization of his research findings.

A networking reception will follow. The event is free, but registration is required: go.unc.edu/m3EQc.

UNC hosts state’s largest HIV education event

The University will hold its 18th annual update on the latest treatment information for HIV and hepatitis C, “HIV Care in 2013: Trends in Clinical Care and Caring for Vulnerable Populations,” May 6 at the Friday Center from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

The state’s largest HIV education event, the symposium draws health-care providers from across North Carolina. The theme of this year’s symposium is “Engagement in HIV Care.”

The event will feature two tracks: medical and social. The medical track will focus on treatment strategies for HIV and related conditions, and the social track will tackle the management of substance abuse and mental health disorders and include a panel discussion with women living with the virus.

Registration is required and attendees will receive continuing education credit. For information or to register, see go.unc.edu/x5BFo or call 336-832-8025.

Free online courses available

Free online classes are now available to help UNC faculty, staff and students acquire or improve their skills with Microsoft software applications. Information Technology Services (ITS) has finalized a contract with Microsoft making these courses available to anyone with a UNC onyen.

The self-paced, interactive curriculum is delivered via video and includes unlimited access to more than 400 courses. Lesson plans, e-reference technical books and teacher starter kits are also available.

To request an access code and get started with available training opportunities, visit the UNC Microsoft IT Academy page: go.unc.edu/w3FXp. For information, contact Priscilla Alden, assistant vice chancellor for user support engagement, at priscilla_alden@unc.edu or 919-843-2103.

What’s the Big Idea?

The Friday Center’s spring “What’s the Big Idea?” lecture series focuses on the human brain. Upcoming sessions include:

“Brain Development in Infancy and Childhood: Genes, Gender, and Risk for Mental Illness” on May 2 from 7 to 9 p.m. Rebecca Knickmeyer, an assistant professor of psychiatry and a member of the Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, will discuss the structural brain changes associated with the rapid development of cognitive and motor skills in the first two years of life and how factors such as genes and gender affect brain development and later risk for mental illness.

“Autism across the Lifespan: A 40-Year Perspective from the UNC TEACCH Autism Program” on May 9 from 7 to 9 p.m. Laura Grofer Klinger, executive director of the UNC TEACCH Autism Program and an associate professor of psychiatry, will discuss the changing nature of Autism Spectrum Disorder during the 40 years since the program was created. She also will discuss autism across the developmental lifespan, including diagnosing autism in toddlers and what autism looks like in adulthood.

To register: go.unc.edu/b6Y9N.

Upcoming from the Ackland

• 

  Left (background): Lauren Salazar, "Untitled”; 2013; woven and installed twine. Right (background): William Paul Thomas, “To Stephen”; 2012; oil on canvas. These works are part of the “Sincerely Yours” exhibition.

  May 8 – Art for Lunch will feature “A Cosmic Dog Fight: Contesting World Order in Oudry’s ‘The Dog that Carried the Dinner Basket for his Master’” at noon. Doctoral student Joanna Gohmann will analyze the Ackland’s drawing “The Dog Who Carried the Dinner Basket for his Master” by Jean-Baptiste Oudry. Free to members and valid UNC One Card holders; $5 for all others. RSVP to go.unc.edu/Ye4a9. Bring a lunch.
• May 11 – The museum will host a curators’ tour of “Sincerely Yours” from 3 to 4 p.m. “Sincerely Yours” features art by the 2013 master of fine arts candidates at UNC.
• May 14 – Young professionals from Chapel Hill and Carrboro are invited to the Ackland for an evening of art, networking and refreshments for the Young Professionals Network: “Encounter, Engage, and Connect through Art” from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. In three mini-exercises, participants learn how to talk to anyone, anywhere by using what they see around them. Presented by DSI Comedy and free to members of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chamber of Commerce’s Young Professionals Network, or $10 for non-members. Registration is required: email Chela Tu at ctu@carolinachamber.org.

Hunter Rawlings to lead panel on athletics April 19

National High School Ethics Bowl

Women in Media Leadership Series

Music on the Porch

Ben Wiley Payton (Photo courtesy of benpayton.com)

2013 Chancellor’s Awards Ceremony

Students, staff and faculty are invited to attend the Chancellor’s Awards ceremony April 18 at 3 p.m. in the Great Hall. A reception will follow.

The ceremony honors students whose achievements in academic work, as well as student activities and leadership, deserve special recognition. Along with these awards, the chancellor distributes the Student Undergraduate Teaching and Staff Awards, established by students to recognize outstanding undergraduate instruction.

'Cabaret' to run through April 21

Lisa Brescia performs as Sally Bowles (Photo by Jon Gardiner)

The North Carolina Psychoanalytic Society will sponsor a free discussion on “Mindplay” after the shows on April 20 and 21.

The theater’s PRC2 second stage season will close with the world premiere of “Spring Training” April 24 through 28, specially commissioned by PlayMakers and Carolina Performing Arts, and written and performed by acclaimed musical/spoken word ensemble Universes. Visit www.playmakersrep.org for show times and ticket prices.

Musical Empowerment benefit concert to be held April 18

The UNC student organization Musical Empowerment will host its first annual benefit concert, “Melodies,” April 18 at 7 p.m. at the University United Methodist Church in downtown Chapel Hill.

Performers include Joe Kwon and Paul Defiglia of the Avett Brothers, UNC student a cappella groups and local bands Morning Brigade, Clockwork Kids and the Carolina Ukulele Ensemble.

“Melodies,” will build upon Musical Empowerment’s mission to connect UNC students with the youth of the local community by taking the student teacher/mentee relationship from the rehearsal room to center stage. Concert guests will see inspiring performances by three students in the program.

Tickets are $5 in advance and $7 at the door. All proceeds from the event will support Musical Empowerment’s Instrument Lending Program. Learn more about on Musical Empowerment at go.unc.edu/Bi73E or contact Katie Weinel at 919-995-6514 or mweinel@live.unc.edu.

Paws Under the Stars

Paws Under the Stars, a dinner and auction benefiting Paws4ever, will be held May 4 at 6 p.m. at the Paws4ever Learning Center in Mebane. Paws4ever is a charity that has been supported by the “Carolina Cares, Carolina Shares” campaign. Guests will enjoy live music, a dinner from Mediterranean Deli and the opportunity to bid at a market full of eclectic items, like unique pieces from local artists, vacation rentals, jewelry and more. Tickets are $25 at go.unc.edu/Ys42K.

Water in Our World

Mark Hay, professor and Harry and Linda Teasley Chair in Environmental Biology at Georgia Tech, will present the lecture “Can Coral Reefs Be Saved? Chemical Ecology as a Rosetta Stone for Effective Conservation” April 24 at 5:30 p.m. at the FedEx Global Education Center as part of the “Water In Our World” Speaker Series hosted by UNC’s Global Research Institute.

In his lecture, Hay will use reefs in Fiji as examples of how local intervention can have large positive effects and how an understanding of the chemical signals and mechanisms involved in structuring biotic interactions on coral reefs can provide additional options for more effective stewardship of coastal marine resources.

Spring Fling to be held May 3

UNC employees are invited to join Campus Recreation for Spring Fling, a 2.7-mile fun run or 1.5-mile walk May 3. In previous years, more than 300 participants have completed the Spring Fling individually or as part of a departmental team. This event promotes health and well-being and provides a wonderful opportunity to give back to the community by making canned food donations to the Glenwood Elementary Family Assistance Program and pet donations to the Orange County Animal Shelter. Prizes for the most creative costumes and most participants will be rewarded following the event. campusrec.unc.edu

Dead Sea Scrolls focus of lecture

The Carolina Center for Jewish Studies and the Department of Religious Studies will host James Kugel, director of the Institute for the History of the Jewish Bible at Bar Ilan University, April 22 at 7:30 p.m. at the Friday Center. Kugel’s talk, “The Dead Sea Scrolls and the Beginnings of Biblical Interpretation,” will explore how the Dead Sea Scrolls provide evidence of an important moment of transition in the development of texts that were to become the Hebrew Bible. ccjs.unc.edu

2013 Conservation Garden Tour

A group enjoys a spring tour hosted by the North Carolina Botanical Garden.

For more information, visit go.unc.edu/Ac23R.

Nominate a Manager of the Year

The University Managers Association (UMA) is accepting nominations for the 2013 Manager of the Year Award through April 22. Selection is based on University career accomplishments, both within and beyond normal job responsibilities, or a specific accomplishment of major significance made within the past 12 months.

Any current UNC faculty or staff member may submit a nomination.  The nomination form is available on the UMA website at go.unc.edu/Qw26W.

Chakrabarti to give Siler Lecture

One of America’s foremost urbanists, Vishaan Chakrabarti, will speak April 18 at 7 p.m. in G-100 Genome Science Building for the Robert and Helen Siler Lecture. A reception will begin at 5:30 p.m. Chakrabarti will speak on the subject of his forthcoming book, “A Country of Cities,” in which he argues that dense, well-designed cities are the key to solving America’s great national challenges: environmental degradation, unsustainable consumption, economic stagnation, rising public health costs and decreasing social mobility. go.unc.edu/Ja3y6

CSRI Conference April 17–19

The College Sport Research Institute’s 6th annual CSRI Conference on College Sport will be held April 17–19 at the Friday Center.

The CSRI Conference is a student-run conference hosted by the institute and the Department of Exercise and Sport Science. The conference features three days of discussion panels, keynote speakers, academic research presentations and student competitions.

UNC students can receive a $25 discount and faculty and staff can receive a $50 discount using their ONYENs. For more information, visit www.csriconference.org.

Los Pleneros de la 21, an Afro-Puerto Rican music and dance ensemble, is coming to Carolina April 19–20.

Los Pleneros de la 21 to perform April 20

Los Pleneros de la 21 (LP21), a Spanish Harlem-based ensemble that performs traditional Afro-Puerto Rican music and dance, will perform in the Stone Center Auditorium on April 20 at 7 p.m.

LP21’s two-day residency at UNC will include two free workshops on April 19 and conclude with a performance on April 20. The program is co-sponsored by The Carolina Latina/o Collaborative. For more information, visit go.unc.edu/Mf7p9.

Dental Faculty Practice offering discount for employees

The UNC Dental Faculty Practice is offering UNC employees and their immediate families a 20 percent discount on new-patient comprehensive exam appointments and the associated X-rays taken that day. Patients will be seen by the dentists who are training the future dentists of North Carolina. The practice provides both general and specialized dental care, and each patient’s oral health needs will be determined after seeing a dental practitioner for a comprehensive diagnosis. To schedule an appointment, call the reception desk at 919-537-3939 and identify yourself as an UNC employee.

Music department concerts

Visit music.unc.edu for more information.

• April 23 – The UNC Symphony Orchestra will perform with Brahms Symphony No. 3 and Shostakovich Symphony No. 9. at 7:30 p.m. in Memorial Hall. $15 general admission; $10 for UNC students, faculty, staff. 919-843-3333.
• April 28 – North Carolina Jazz Repertory Orchestra will present Blues and the Abstract Truth and Big Band Monk at 3 p.m. in Hill Hall Auditorium. 919-962-1039.
• April 28 – The UNC Baroque Ensemble will perform “Baroque in English: Music by Purcell, Handel and Others” at 7:30 p.m. in Person Recital Hall. 919-962-1039.

2013 Chancellor’s Awards Ceremony

Upcoming blood drives at UNC

Ackland offers course development grants

Deadlines to watch

• April 8 – Nominations are due for the LGBTIQ Advocacy Award, supported by UNC’s LGBTQ Center.  This award recognizes contributions to, or advocacy on behalf of, the LGBTIQ communities at Carolina.  One undergraduate and one graduate/professional student, both who will graduate this year, are eligible to receive the LGBTIQ Advocacy Award. Visit go.unc.edu/s4H5J for nomination form.
• April 19 – Nominations are due for the Extra Mile Award, which recognizes the individual accomplishments of Finance Division employees who truly “go the extra mile.” Find out how to nominate a Finance Division employee who consistently provides you and your department with exceptional customer service at go.unc.edu/Hw2j6.
• April 19 – Nominations are due for the Employee Forum Community “Three Legged Stool” Award, which recognizes distinguished contributions by individuals who work to promote cooperation and collaboration among faculty, staff and students. For requirements, eligibility and nomination forms, visit go.unc.edu/Xj26W.

NPR’s Carl Kasell to speak at Carolina April 16

NPR newscaster and radio personality Carl Kasell will deliver a free public program April 16 at 5:30 p.m. in the Genome Sciences Building, Room GS 200. In “An Evening with Carl Kasell,” Kasell will hold a conversation with WUNC host Eric Hodge and UNC journalism student Mike Rodriguez. The evening will begin with a reception and viewing of items from University Archives related to Kasell’s career and radio station WUNC at 5 p.m.

For event information, contact Liza Terll at liza_terll@unc.edu, 919-548-1203. The event is sponsored by UNC Friends of the Library, University Archives and Records Management Services, WUNC and the School of Journalism and Mass Communication.

Lectures

• April 9 – Carrie Preston of Boston University will give the talk “Isadora Duncan’s Modernist Pose – Looking Back and to The Rite” on the modernist dance movement and “The Rite of Spring” at 3:30 p.m. in Hyde Hall University Room. This event is part of Carolina’s “The Rite of Spring at 100” celebration. go.unc.edu/s2N9K
• April 9 – The Office of Diversity and Multicultural Affairs will host “Diversity in Higher Education: Creating Effective Mentoring Practices for Junior Faculty of Color” from 3 to 5 p.m. in Gerrard Hall. Register at go.unc.edu/St85P.
• April 10 – Terrorism and national security expert David Schanzer will consider the threat of terrorism, the risks of international conflict and the state of national security at a talk at Flyleaf Books from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Cost is $20 at the door, $18 in advance and $8 for UNC GAA members. Find more information at humanities.unc.edu.
• April 11 – Arthur C. Brooks, president of the American Enterprise Institute, will give the Roy H. Park Distinguished Lecture at the School of Journalism and Mass Communication in Carroll 111 at 4 p.m.
• April 11 – CBS News medical correspondent Jonathan LaPook will speak at 6 p.m. at the Friday Center. Space is limited and registration is required. go.unc.edu/Ke38G.
• April 11 –Robert Spearman, former student body president and 1965 graduate, will give the talk “The Speaker Ban Through Student Eyes” for the Gladys Hall Coates University History Lecture at 5:30 p.m. at the Wilson Special Collections Library. A 5 p.m. viewing of the exhibit “A Right to Speak and to Hear: Academic Freedom and Free Expression at UNC” precedes the lecture. go.unc.edu/i5EFj
• April 13 – At the seminar “Holocaust Histories: New Directions in Scholarship and Teaching,” historian Christopher Browning will reflect on the development of Holocaust studies as a field. The event takes place at the UNC Center for School Leadership Development from 9:15 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Registration is required. Tuition is $125 or $62.50 for teachers. Find more information at humanities.unc.edu.
• April 17 – Epidemiologist Steve Meshnick will examine how public health systems conduct surveillance for emerging infectious diseases at his lecture “Surveillance and Prevention of Pandemics: Too Little or Chicken Little?” at Flyleaf Books from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Cost is $20 at the door, $18 in advance and $8 for UNC GAA members. Find more information at humanities.unc.edu.
• April 18 – Josipa Roksa, associate professor of sociology and education at the University of Virginia and author of “Academically Adrift: Limited Learning on College Campuses,” will participate in a discussion about improving undergraduate education at 3 p.m. in the Graham Memorial Foundation Common Room. go.unc.edu/Yq28B

A group of participants the Science Expo last year uses vacuum pumps to suck the air out of marshmallow Peeps.

UNC Science Expo and spring football game to be held on campus April 13

Discover current science research happening on campus at the UNC Science Expo April 13 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The UNC Science Expo will include demonstrations, hands-on activities, lab tours, exhibits and science talks from Carolina professors and students. Visit the Sustainability Center and the Solar Stage, sponsored by the Town of Chapel Hill, to find out about the ways Chapel Hill stays green and learn tips on how to live more sustainably. The “Small Science” area provides a safe and interactive space for children ages 2 through 8 to explore, play and build. The expo is appropriate for all ages. go.unc.edu/Hd25P

The Tar Heels’ annual spring football game will be held April 13 at Kenan Stadium at 3 p.m. Admission is free. GoHeels.com will have more information as it becomes available.

Apply for BRIDGES

The application period for BRIDGES, an intensive professional development program for women in higher education who seek to gain or strengthen academic leadership capabilities, is open through May 1. BRIDGES is designed to help women identify, understand and move into leadership roles in the academy. Through the program, participants will:

• Develop insights into leadership, with a particular focus on the special skills and attributes women bring to their leadership roles;
• Acquire an understanding of the many facets of colleges and universities;
• Refine and improve their cross-cultural communication skills; and
• Create a program of personal and professional development to benefit themselves and their institutions.

For full details on BRIDGES, visit go.unc.edu/b3Y4X.

Readings

All readings are at the Bull’s Head Bookshop inside Student Stores:

• April 4 – David Amram will read from “Vibrations: A Memoir” at 2 p.m.
• April 9 – Nora Gaskin will read from “Until Proven: A Mystery in Two Parts” at 3:30 p.m.
• April 11 – Philip Gura will read from “Truth’s Ragged Edge: The Rise of the American Novel” at 3:30 p.m.
• April 16 – Georgann Eubanks will read from “Literary Trails of Eastern North Carolina: A Guidebook” at 3:30 p.m.

Nobel laureate explores ‘interculturality’ at UNC and Duke

Asgarally

Le Clezio

Le Clézio and Asgarally co-founded the Foundation for Interculturality and Peace to explore how to promote dialogue across cultural and geographical barriers through the arts and humanities, community engagement and educational curricula. Both will be at the Stone Center on April 17 for readings and book signings from 10 to 11:30 a.m., roundtable discussions from 2 to 4:30 p.m. and a keynote address at 6:30 p.m.  On April 18, they will be at Duke University for roundtable discussions and readings from 2 to 5 p.m. at the Franklin Humanities Institute/Haiti Lab.

On April 19, Duke and UNC music faculty will co-host a concert at Duke featuring soprano Terry Ellen Rhodes, cellist Fred Raimi and pianist Jane Hawkins at 7 p.m. at the Mary Duke Biddle Music Building on Duke’s East Campus. Find the schedule and details at go.unc.edu/q5EYm.

Rare Book Collection Recent Acquisitions Evening

On April 9, the UNC Rare Book Collection will host a not-under-glass display of additions to the collection from the past two years. The 5 p.m. event in the Wilson Special Collections Library’s Grand Reading Room is free and open to the public.  Material will range in date from the 17th to the 20th centuries. Among the items on display will be Galileo Galilei’s last book, “Discorsi e Dimostrazioni Matematiche Intorno à due Nuove Scienze,” William Wordsworth’s letters, Lawrence Ferlinghetti’s sketchbook with original drawings and the first and early versions of his poem “The Canticle of Jack Kerouac” and many more.

For information about the Rare Book Collection, contact Claudia Funke at cfunke@email.unc.edu or 919-962-1143.

Water in our World

• April 4 – The Carolina Science Cafe Series will feature composer Lee Weisert, assistant professor of music, for the talk “Fluid Music: Exploring Cryoacoustic Orbs and Hydrophonic Sound Installations” at 6 p.m. in the Back Bar of Top of the Hill Restaurant. This talk will focus on how technology is enabling musicologists to explore environmental soundscapes. This event is free and open to the public. go.unc.edu/w6XZm
• 

  The artwork of UNC student Caroline Orr is prominently displayed as part of The Water of Life: Artistic Expressions art exhibition currently at the FedEx Global Education Center. Some of her work is available for auction in support the A Drink For Tomorrow sustainable water project in Las Cocas, Peru. paintingforpipeline.org

  April 9 – Buster Simpson will give the lecture “Fare Thee Well (Again and Again) Water Repurposed: The Poetic Utility of Art and Water” at 6 p.m. in the Hanes Art Center Auditorium. Simpson, who has helped define contemporary and environmental public art, will talk about engaging with water conservation as a visual artist.
• April 12 – A “Meeting of the Waters” tour, an exploration of water on UNC’s campus, will begin at 3 p.m. from the Visitors’ Center. Missy Julian Fox, director of the Visitors’ Center; Cindy Shea, director of UNC Sustainability; and Brian White, associate professor of marine sciences, will lead the tour.