UNL Speakers Bureau in 13th year of 'free speech'

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln Speakers Bureau begins its 13th year this fall with 17 speakers and 36 topics from which to choose. This free service connects faculty and other university experts with Nebraska citizens through service organizations, schools, and other groups who want knowledgeable, interesting speakers on a variety of topics.

The Speakers Bureau begins Sept. 5, with some speakers being available on a year-round basis and others during the academic year only. To receive a brochure that fully describes each speaker's topics or to book a speaker, contact Barbara Bowers in the Office of University Communications, 202 Canfield Administration Building, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68588-0424; by telephone at (402) 472-0088; by e-mail (speakers2@unl.edu); or through the Web (www.speakersbureau.unl.edu).

The 2007-2008 members of the Speakers Bureau and their topics are as follows:

Dee Aguilar, Coordinator, Osher Lifelong Learning Institute -- "Lifelong Learning: Your Brain or Mine?"; "Play: A Lifelong Ambition": "Humor: What's So Funny?"

Patrice Berger, Professor of History, Director of University Honors Program -- "Europe: 2007"; "Europe: 1939"; "University of Nebraska-Lincoln in the 21st Century."

John Brasch, Associate Vice Chancellor, Office of Technology Development -- "New Directions for Technology Transfer at UNL."

Don Costello, Lecturer, Computer Science and Engineering -- "Information Technology: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow"; "Computer Games: From Pokemon to Cutting-edge Research"; "The Birth, Death and Resurrection of Computers in Banking."

Bob Diffendal, Professor Emeritus, Conservation & Survey -- "New Zealand: Lands of Geysers, Greenstones, and Gandalf"; Curacao, Netherlands Antilles: Tropical Desert Island in the Caribbean Sea"; ""The Netherlands: Canal Barges Provide Scenic Trips to View Culture and Art."

Carolyn Pope Edwards, Cather Professor of Psychology and Family and Consumer Sciences -- "Showing that Early Childhood Education Works."

David Feingold, Assistant General Manager-Content, NET -- "NET -- Nebraska's Own NPR and PBS."

James Goeke, Research Hydrogeologist, School of Natural Resources -- "Nebraska's Water Resources: Past, Present, and Future."

Michael Hoff, Professor of Art History -- "Ancient Roman Religion and Nebraska Football"; "Pirates and Roman Along the Cilician Coast of Ancient Turkey"; "Athens Under Roman Domination."

Peter Levitov, UNL International Affairs and Immigration Attorney, NU Central Administration -- "International Students in the United States."

Jack Oliva, Dean, Hixson-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts -- "American Ragtime and the Music Business in the Early 20th Century."

Wes Peterson, Professor, Agricultural Economics -- "A Billion Dollars a Day"; "International Trade Agreements"; "Africa: Problems and Prospects."

Paul Read, Professor, Horticulture and Viticulture -- "Grape Expectations: Nebraska's Developing Grape and Wine Industry"; "Gardens of the World."

John W. Richmond, Professor and Director of the UNL School of Music -- "Does Music Make You Smarter? It Depends on What You Mean!"; "Thinking About Common Dimensions of Aesthetic and Religious Experience"; "Finding the Next Mozart! Music Composition Education in the 21st Century."

John Rupnow, Professor, Food Science and Technology -- "History and Agents of Agroterrorism"; "It Must Have Been Something I Ate: Issues in Food Safety"; "Guru or Gourmet: The Science of Food."

Greg Snow, Associate Professor, Physics & Agronomy -- "Did a Giant Asteroid Kill the Dinosaurs?"; "E=mc2: The Most Famous Scientific Formula."

Chris Timm, Associate Director, Career Services -- "Developing a Top Internship Program"; "Using the Web to Effectively Recruit College Students."

CONTACT: Barbara Bowers, Speakers Bureau Coordinator, University Communications, (402) 472-0088