UMR CONNECTS

The University of Minnesota Rochester strives to sustain an open exchange of ideas in an environment that embodies the values of academic freedom, responsibility, integrity, and cooperation. In support of this, UMR has launched a weekly series for the Rochester community and visitors titled “UMR CONNECTS.”

Every Tuesday at 7:00 pm ~ 4th floor ~ UMR Campus

Following a specific theme each month, this weekly showcase will connect you to speakers, authors, panels, etc. on a variety of engaging topics, such as:                                                                                                                                                                   

• April ~ The Dirt on Gardening                                                                                                                                                 
• May ~ Silent Spring, Fifty Years Later
• June ~ Building Community Through Music
• July ~ Athletics and Sports
• August ~ The Great Outdoors
• September ~ Election 2012
• October ~ Healthcare Policy

UMR CONNECTS is committed to supporting the University's overall mission of public engagement and outreach by fostering connections between the University, its students, and those who live in or visit our community. No pre-registration is required, and we hope you will join us!

*Reminder: UMR CONNECTS will be moving outdoors to Peace Plaza again this year during the months of June, July, and August - weather permitting.

There will be NO UMR CONNECTS sessions held on the evenings of August 14 (state primary election), November 6 (general election), December 25, or January 1.

Questions, please contact Mary DeWitt at 507-258-8053 or dewit007@r.umn.edu.

Upcoming Sessions 

 MAY THEME ~ 50th Anniversary of "Silent Spring"

“To still the song of birds and the leaping of fish in the streams, to coat the leaves with a deadly film, and to linger on in soil - all this though the intended target may be only a few weeds or insects.”   -Rachel Carson

2012 marks the 50th anniversary of Silent Spring, the landmark book credited with launching the modern environmental movement. Rachel Carson sounded the alarm to an unsuspecting public about the detrimental effects of pesticides on eagles, fish, and many other forms of wildlife.  Join us this month as we discuss the book and its continued importance as a guide for bringing environmental issues into the public forum, even fifty years later. 

May 8 ~ Contaminants of Future Concern: Past, Present, and Future Challenges

A half-century ago, Silent Spring awakened people to the negative and unintended impacts of chemicals in our environment, and Our Stolen Future brought new knowledge and understanding of the potential threats of contaminants of emerging concern (CECs). Now, nearly 20 years later, we still are exposed to hundreds of unregulated and potentially harmful contaminants. Dr. Swackhamer will discuss the current status of chemical management in our country, and the sources and potential impacts of CECs. Future challenges and solutions to those challenges will also be presented.
 

Speaker: Deborah L. Swackhamer, Ph.D., holds the Charles M. Denny Chair of Science, Technology, and Public Policy in the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs; is Professor, Environmental Health Sciences; and Co-Director, Water Resources Center, University of Minnesota. Among other appointments, Dr. Swackhamer also chairs the US Environmental Protection Agency’s Science Advisory Board and is a member of the International Joint Commission of the US and Canada. She was appointed by MN Governor Tim Pawlenty to serve as the Higher Education Representative to Minnesota’s Clean Water Council. Water Resources Center: http://wrc.umn.edu

May 15 ~ Troubled Waters: A Mississippi River Story

This video traces the development of America's bountiful heartland and its effect on our legendary river.  Through beautiful photography and inspiring narrative, the film offers solutions to the river's troubles through fresh ideas and concrete solutions.  Following the film, a brief discussion will be led by Jeff Broberg.

Speaker: Jeff Broberg serves on the Winona County Planning Commission; is the President of the Minnesota Trout Association; and has served on the Whitewater Watershed Project Citizen Advisory Committee, the DNR Budget Oversight and the Trout and Salmon Stamp Oversight Committees, and is active in natural resource and conservation efforts in the bluff lands and ag=lands of SE MN. 

May 22 ~ Bald Eagle Informational Program

In my program I will introduce you to our resident birds that live at the National Eagle Center and let you know why they are with us. Then I will get into the eagle in general and give you all kinds of interesting facts. Some of the things I talk about include the egg, nest, the eyes, talons, food, and much more! All the questions that get asked during my programs help me teach you what you are really interested in, so ask away. This is a program that is filled with many laughs and will keep you on your toes and wanting to ask more questions. It is good for all ages from kids to the kid-at-heart. Be prepared to get involved and have a wonderful time. (A live Eagle will NOT be present.)

Speaker: My name is Bridget Befort and I started my career at the National Eagle Center as an intern from Winona State University, when we were still located in the little store front right off of Main Street. I continued to volunteer once I completed my internship and then became staff once I graduated. I currently live in Rochester, MN, which is about an hour drive, but it is all worth it just to work with these wonderful birds and meet all the interesting people. I hope to pass my love for the outdoors and all animals to my husband ‘s and my new addition, our little girl who was born in April of 2010.
 

May 29 ~ Silent Spring 50 Years Later: Reflections on a Mixed Legacy

The biologist Rachel Carson wrote her 1962 book Silent Spring to educate the public about detrimental effects of the large-scale use of chemical pesticides, calling for a shift in man's attitude toward nature. Silent Spring is seen as one of the cornerstones of the modern environmental conservation movement, as well as the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency.
However, Carson left behind a mixed legacy with Silent Spring. Some of the main criticisms were her allegedly single-sided view of pesticide use as well as the scientific back up of her claims. The controversy about her book has been likened to the debate surrounding climate change research during the last decade. Thus, even 50 years after its publication, Silent Spring remains to have a profound impact on our view of the environmental issues of our times.

Speaker: Franziska Schrodt is a research associate working on the Plant Data Synthesis Discovery Grant in collaboration with the U of M departments of forest resources and computer sciences and the Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry. She develops new algorithms to fill sparse matrixes in plant functional trait databases. Franziska earned her Ph.D. in geography at the University of Leeds, UK, on biogeochemical comparisons of tropical forest-savannah zones of transition in Africa and South America. Franziska is also interested in the socioeconomic aspects of environmental change, especially in sub-Saharan Africa.

Watch for further updates and specific details of upcoming sessions!  Please check out our Event Calendar for a full list of events happening at UMR.