1. Today’s Casper Lecture to address terrorist threat of North Korea

Dr. Bruce Cumings, chair of the history department at University of Chicago, will present “North Korea: Still in the axis of evil?” at 7:30 p.m. today, Nov. 6, in Cudahy 001.

As the Rev. Henry W. Casper, S.J., lecturer, Cumings will share his insights on the U.S. State Department’s recent decision to remove North Korea from the U.S. list of state sponsors of terrorism.

Cumings is the Gustavus F. and Ann M. Swift distinguished service professor in history at the University of Chicago. His books include The Origins of the Korean War, volumes one and two; War and Television; North Korea: Another Century; and Dominion from Sea to Sea: Pacific Ascendancy and American Power.

The annual Casper Lecture was started by the Marquette history department in 1993 to honor Rev. Henry W. Casper, S.J., a long-time member of the history departments at Creighton University, Omaha, and at Marquette.

2. Helping children cope with death is topic of nursing lecture

Dr. Betty Davies, professor of family health care nursing at the University of California, San Francisco, will present "When Someone is Dying: Helping the Children," for the James Wake Memorial Lecture. The lecture, which is free and open to the public, will be delivered Friday, Nov. 14, at 4:30 p.m. in Emory Clark Hall 111. A reception will follow.

Davies’ current research focuses on two studies funded by the National Institutes of Health to examine the experiences of Chinese and Latino families in pediatric palliative care and to explore the experiences of fathers of seriously ill children. She is director of a training grant that prepares acute-care pediatric nurse practitioners to have an end-of-life focus and is on the professional advisory board of George Mark Children's House in San Leandro, Calif., the first children's hospice in the United States.

Davies also helped establish North America's first free-standing children's hospice in Vancouver, British Columbia. She has published more than 100 articles and two books and received the 2008 distinguished career achievement award from the Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association.

The lecture is presented by the Institute for End of Life Care Education at Marquette’s College of Nursing in memory of James Wake, husband of former Marquette Provost Madeline Wake, who is now university professor. Wake was a chaplain who devoted his career to helping others through social work and chaplaincy.

3. Choose the benefits that meet your needs

Employees are reminded to choose whether or not to participate in the health insurance plan during annual enrollment. Employees who participate have the option of selecting different plans. Plans cover the same medical services, but premiums, network area/physician networks, deductible/coinsurance and the office copay vary.

Other benefits available to employees include dental insurance, vision insurance, life insurance, long-term disability, flexible spending accounts, retirement plan and others.

All employees are encouraged to read the benefits information packet they received at home and add and/or modify benefits through MyJob during the annual enrollment period, which runs through Nov. 17.

The Department of Human Resources will host a Benefits Assistance Day Wednesday, Nov. 12, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in AMU 254. Employees will be able to ask benefits questions and get one-on-one assistance with benefits enrollment from human resources staff.

Additional information is available on the Department of Human Resources Web site.

4. Marquette receives four Pride of CASE V awards

Marquette was honored with four awards from this year’s Pride of CASE V Awards Program. CASE V is region V of the Council for Advancement and Support of Education, which includes Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin.

The awards were for:
• Gold Award for Best Collaborative Program — CIRCLES Program (network of alumni, parents and friends based on the industries in which they work)
• Silver Award for Excellence in Research/Scientific/Medical Writing, Series — Discover: Marquette University Research and Scholarship
• Bronze Award for Excellence in Special Events, Individual Event — Groundbreaking for Eckstein Hall
• Bronze Award for Best Viewbook — We Are Marquette: Your College Preview

The judging for the Pride of CASE V Awards Program was conducted by advancement professionals representing institutions throughout the country.

5. Electrical engineering and neuroscience to hold colloquiums

The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering will hold a colloquium Tuesday, Nov. 11, at 3 p.m., in Olin Engineering Center 202. Dr. Sheikh Iqbal Ahamed, associate professor of mathematics, statistics and computer science, will present “Towards a Secure Middleware for Ubiquitous/Pervasive Computing.”

The Integrative Neuroscience Center will host Dr. Allison Hyngstrom, assistant professor of physical therapy, for “Active Integration of Movement-Related Synaptic Inputs by Spinal Motoneurons,” Tuesday, Nov. 11, from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. in Cramer Hall 004E.

6. Learn about physician assistant field at open house

The Physician Assistant Studies Program in the College of Health Sciences will host an open house Tuesday, Nov. 11, at 5 p.m. in room 201 of the 1700 Building to provide information about the program.

7. Program to address Luther’s interpretation of the Old Testament

Dr. Mickey Mattox, associate professor of historical theology, will present “Clavis Scripturae Sacrae: Experience of the Holy Trinity in Martin Luther’s Interpretation of the Old Testament,” Thursday, Nov. 13, at 3:30 p.m. in Cramer Hall 004E. The program is free and open to the public and geared for both Protestants and Catholics.

The presentation will address Luther’s interpretations of the experiences of the Old Testament “saints” from his career as "doctor in Biblia" at Wittenberg University.

The event is co-sponsored by the Marquette Scripture Project and the Colloquium in Reformation Theology.

8. Jesuit to explain Catholic Mass

Rev. Edward Mathie, S.J., director of Campus Ministry, will present Catholicism 101: The Mass, Thursday, Nov. 13, at 6 p.m. in the Chapel of the Holy Family, AMU. The program is intended to deepen attendees’ understanding of the Mass, whether they have a great deal of experience with it or none.

The Catholicism 101 series focuses on topics related to Catholic belief and is sponsored by Campus Ministry.

9. Application fee waived for Graduate School open house attendees

The Graduate School will host an open house for prospective graduate students Thursday, Nov. 13, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the AMU ballrooms. Tours of the campus will be offered at 4 p.m. and the main event begins at 5 p.m. Participants will have the opportunity to speak with program representatives.

The $50 application fee is waived for open house attendees.

For more information, contact Carl Wainscott, assistant director for recruitment.

10. College of Professional Studies holding information session

The College of Professional Studies will host an information session about undergraduate degrees for adults Saturday, Nov. 15, from 10 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. in Cudahy 414. The session will cover accelerated bachelor's degree programs and information about weeknight, Saturday and selected online course offerings, the application and admission process and financial aid options.

Registration and more information are available by calling 8-3153.

11. Application deadline for Way Klingler funds is January

The application deadlines for the Way Klingler Faculty Development Program grants occur in January 2009. The program features awards intended to advance research and scholarship that was made possible through an $18 million donation by Helen Way Klingler announced in May 2004.

Way Klingler Fellowships are for full-time regular faculty at the associate or full professor rank who have potential for significant scholarship. Faculty will be nominated by academic deans or self-nominated with dean endorsement. Fellowships will be awarded in “science” and “humanities” categories. Science applicants are those with a track record of strong research funding whose research requires higher expense items such as equipment, supplies and research staff. Humanities applicants are those with national recognition for scholarship whose critical research requirements may be time, access to information and travel.

Two Way Klingler fellowships will be awarded in 2009, one in each applicant designated area of science or humanities. The science fellow will receive $50,000 annually for three years, and the humanities fellow will receive $20,000 annually for three years. The application deadline for submission by the deans is Jan. 16, 2009.

Way Klingler Young Scholar Awards support promising young scholars in critical stages of their careers. Up to four awards will be given for 2009-10 to full-time regular junior faculty in the three years following their third-year review. The awards of up to $32,000 are intended to fund $2,000 in operating cost and to cover up to 50 percent of salary to afford the recipient a one-semester sabbatical. The application deadline is Jan. 12, 2009.

12. Last call: Submit your entries for 2009 experts’ directory

Faculty who would like to be included in the Office of Marketing and Communication’s 2009 Experts’ Directory and Media Guide, need to respond by Friday, Nov. 14. Faculty who are new to Marquette or have not previously been listed in the directory should submit their entry online.

Faculty who are already listed in the directory who would like to remain there do not need to re-submit. Faculty who would like to opt out or have changes to their listing should contact Amanda Gottheardt, office associate in the Office of Marketing and Communication, at 8-0298.

13. Monitor Marquette media coverage through News Clips

The Office of Marketing and Communication monitors local, state and national media coverage involving Marquette University news, faculty, staff, students and alumni. OMC distributes a synopsis of the media coverage through News Clips three times per week via e-mail. Marquette faculty and staff who would like to be added to the distribution list should e-mail News Clips.

14. Volunteers needed for sensory research study

Dr. Marie Hoeger Bement, assistant professor of physical therapy, is recruiting volunteers 50 to 80 years of age to participate in up to two research sessions of approximately 60 minutes each in the Department of Physical Therapy, Schroeder Complex. These sessions will examine sensory perception in men and women by placing a pressure device on the volunteer’s finger. The sessions can be scheduled between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m.

Individuals who are interested in taking part in this study, or would like additional information, should contact the Bement Laboratory at 8-3634. Participants will be compensated.

The study has been approved by Marquette’s Institutional Review Board for the protection of human subjects. For more information about research participant rights, contact the Office of Research Compliance, 8-7570.

15. Public safety offering self-defense class Monday

The Department of Public Safety will hold a free self-defense class Monday, Nov. 10, at 5 p.m. in AMU 227. The class incorporates a hands-on approach and effective techniques with simple strategies for escaping potentially dangerous situations for both males and females.

16. TIAA-CREF representatives available for financial counseling

TIAA-CREF consultants will be available for one-on-one financial counseling sessions from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 11, Wednesday, Nov. 12, and Thursday, Nov. 13, in AMU 228.

Call 1-800-842-2005 to schedule an appointment.