Colloquium: Sharlene Newman

You are cordially invited to join us for a Colloquium presented by the SPHS Department and the SPHS PhD Organization.

Monday, September 14, 2009
4:00-5:00 p.m.
Speech and Hearing Building, Room C141
Brief reception to follow in room C108

Sharlene Newman, Assistant Professor of Psychology at Indiana University, will present, "Neuroimaging Studies of Syntax."

Abstract:
When most of us think of grammar we think of the endless number of rules we were forced to learn in grade school. However, to understand the importance of grammar all we need to do is read the papers of some of our students that are filled with grammatical errors; errors that make it incredibly difficult to understand the intended message. In this talk I will focus on one aspect of grammar: syntax. There have been a number of neuroimaging studies that have attempted to localize syntactic processing to the inferior frontal gyrus. I will discuss the problems that have been encountered in doing so as well as some of the data from my lab.

Computational Linguistics

We are pleased to announce the following computational linguistics (CL) opportunities, as we start the semester.

1. We have our a listserv (COMPLING-L), to manage CL announcements & discussions, and many CL announcements are sent only to this listserv. Details on how to subscribe are at the end of this announcement.

2. We are continuing a CL discussion group this semester, a forum for presentations and discussions. Anyone who has work-in-progress (at any stage) can present their work in this informal setting and receive feedback. It's great for students to get feedback, and it's great for all of us to become more aware of the different types of CL-related work being done here at IU.

We are planning on Tuesdays at 11:00 a.m., and we will meet in Memorial Hall (MM) 401. Our first, organizational meeting will be this coming Tuesday, September 2.

If you want to subscribe to COMPLING-L, send an e-mail message to listserv@indiana.edu with the following command in the body:
subscribe CompLing-l

You'll receive an email confirming your subscription, as well as details on how to post messages, etc.

Announced by:
Professor Markus Dickinson
Indiana University
Department of Linguistics
317 Memorial Hall
Bloomington, IN 47405

Seminar: David McCarty

You are cordially invited to join us for the opening presentation of the Logic Seminar Series for 2009-2010.

David McCarty, IU Philosophy Department, will present, "On Pure Syntax."

Wednesday, September 2
4:00 p.m.
Ballantine Hall 018

Abstract:
The talk offers a close and detailed examination of the question, "Is there support in mathematical logic for the claim that there is pure syntax, that is, formal or natural languages whose elements are naturally devoid of denotational meaning?" Results of the examination are brought to bear on familiar assumptions in cognitive science and computability theory.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

To join the mailing list of logic-related activities at IU, please write to Larry Moss (lsm@cs.indiana.edu).

WonderLab's "Science Night Out"

WonderLab's annual gala, Science Night Out, is coming up on Friday, September 11 at the Bloomington Convention Center. This event raises essential operating funds for the museum, funds that are even more critical in this year as grant resources have become more scarce.

WonderLab Museum of Science, Health and Technology is a critical outreach partner to many IU-based NSF grants. It provides crucial resources for K-12 education and teacher training, and is a tremendous asset for our own families, our area schools and for Indiana University students seeking service learning opportunities.

I would therefore like to strongly encourage you to join me in purchasing a ticket for WonderLab's Science Night Out annual gala. WonderLab is a private non-profit educational organization, and tickets are tax-deductible in large part. The deadline to purchase tickets (September 4 ) is right around the corner. Guests must be 21 years old or older. For information about the evening and the ticket-order form follow this link: http://wonderlab.org/membersndonors/fundraising.shtml

Here is what to expect in a nutshell: Science Night Out will be hosted by Coach Tom and Joani Crean and will have a theme of "WonderLab Untamed." The evening will kick off with a cocktail hour featuring live animals from across the globe, delicious hors d'oeuvres, cash bar, and one of Bloomington's largest silent auctions. A gourmet dinner and spectacular live auction will follow.

Please consider joining me at this important and truly enjoyable event for WonderLab!

Announced by:
Armin P. Moczek
Associate Professor
Department of Biology
Indiana University

Mini-Symposium at IUPUI Sept. 11

You are cordially invited to attend the following Mini-Symposium:

Neuropsychiatric Conditions Affecting Military Personnel

September 11, 2009
1:00-5:00 p.m.
Walther Hall (R3 Building) Room 203
(Stark Neurosciences Research Institute; IUPUI)

PLEASE REGISTER (NO COST) AT:
http://purdue.qualtrics.com/SE?SID=SV_eg0xW2j7bmVXC3q&SVID=Prod

DEADLINE: MONDAY SEPT. 7

SCHEDULE

1:00 Welcome
1:05 Research Presentation 1: Aimee Mayeda, MD, Chief, Psychiatry and Mental Health, Indianapolis VA Medical Center

1:30 Research Presentation 2: Andrew W. Goddard, M.D., Professor of Psychiatry, IU School of Medicine

2:00 Breakout Session 1 – Identifying collaborative opportunities
a. Biogenic Amines-coleaders Val Watts and Gerry Oxford
b. Amino acids and channels- leader Ted Cummins
c. Neuromodulators (peptides, endocannabinoids)-coleaders Ken Mackie and Eric Barker

2:30 Coffee Break
2:45 PM Summary of Breakout Session 1 – led by Breakout session leaders

3:00 Research Presentation 3: Andrew Saykin, Psy.D., Raymond C. Beeler, Professor of Radiology Director, IU Center for Neuroimaging
3:30 Research Presentation 4: Vicenta Salanova MD FAAN, Professor of Neurology, Director of Indiana University Comprehensive Epilepsy Program, IUSM

4:00 Breakout Session 2 – Identifying collaborative opportunities
a. PTSD/anxiety/mood disorders -coleaders Anantha Shekhar and Steve Herman
b. Alcoholism and Substance Abuse- coleaders Julia Chester and Andrew
Chambers
c. Epilepsy and cognitive sequalae-leader TBA

4:35 Summary of Breakout 2 – led by Breakout session leaders
4:55 Closing remarks
5:00 Dismiss

Organizing Committee:
Eric Barker, Purdue
Ken Mackie, IU Bloomington
Gerry Oxford, IUSM
Anantha Shekhar, IUSM
Val Watts, Purdue

Liberal Arts and Management Program (LAMP)

Attention Sophomores and Juniors:

The Liberal Arts and Management Program (LAMP) will be accepting applications from September 1 – October 1. Apply online at www.indiana.edu/~lamp

Are you interested in majoring in the College of Arts and Sciences but also learning about business, management and leadership? Do you enjoy studying multiple points of view? If you answered “yes” then LAMP might be the right place for you. What is LAMP you ask? LAMP is an honors interdisciplinary program offered by the College of Arts and Sciences in cooperation with the Kelley School of Business. It allows students the opportunity to have a major in the College but take classes in the business school that enhance management and leadership skills. LAMP students are drawn from the full range of majors within the College—from Biochemistry to Theater & Drama. Students can complete either a Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Science, and many LAMP students pursue a double major.

At LAMP students don’t just learn inside the classroom, we provide a wide variety of co curricular programs for students to get involved in. During any given week a student could attend a Master Class with the CEO of Clorox, have lunch with the Sudan Desk Officer from the US State Department , and attend a workshop on preparing for a career fair. We encourage students to pursue all their passions, whether that is multiple majors, overseas study, or internship experience. We are here to make sure that students can get the most out of their 4 years at Indiana University.

Come Learn More About LAMP at an Information Session
Wednesday, September 2nd at 5:00 p.m. in Ballantine 015
Tuesday, September 8th at 6:00 p.m. in Woodburn 106
Wednesday, September 16th at 5:00 p.m. in Ballantine 015

If none of the above times work for you, please feel free to schedule an appointment with the LAMP academic advisor by calling, (812) 856-4966. For the most up to date information regarding the application and frequently asked questions, visit the LAMP website at www.indiana.edu/~lamp.

Stephanie J. Gray
Assistant Director of Student Services and Academic Advisor
Liberal Arts and Management Program (LAMP)
Wylie Hall 245
100 South Woodlawn Ave.
Bloomington, IN 47405
Phone (812) 856-4966
Fax (812) 856-4672
lamp@indiana.edu

Cognitive Science Colloquium Series

The schedule for our Cognitive Science Colloquium Series for this year is now finalized, and it looks like we have an outstanding group of speakers coming to visit, speaking on a wide range of research that will be relevant across the Cognitive Science Program. I have pasted the schedule of speakers below. As always, you can find updated titles and abstracts at:
http://www.indiana.edu/~clcl/Q733_WWW/

Fall 2009
9/7/09: Mark McDaniel, Washington University in St. Louis
9/14/09: Veit Stuphorn, Johns Hopkins University
10/12/09: Mark Steyvers, University of California, Irvine
10/19/09: Michelene Chi, Arizona State University
10/26/09: Michael Mozer, University of Colorado

Spring 2010
1/25/10: Sian Beilock, University of Chicago
2/22/10: Mary Hayhoe, University of Texas at Austin
3/22/10: Lynn Nadel, University of Arizona
3/29/10: Lawrence Marks, Yale University
4/5/10: Asif Ghazanfar, Princeton University
4/19/10: Teenie Matlock, University of California, Merced

Announced by:
Michael N. Jones, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Psychology, Informatics, and Cognitive Science
Indiana University, Bloomington
http://psych.indiana.edu/faculty/pages/mjones.asp

Lecture: Gyorgy Buzsaki

The Biocomplexity Institute, Psychological and Brain Sciences, and the Program in Neuroscience at Indiana University-Bloomington are pleased to present the following talk.

Gyorgy Buzsaki, M.D., Ph.D., Board of Governors Professor, Center for Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience, Rutgers University, will present, "Cell assembly sequences in the service of cognition."

Friday, September 4, 2009
3:30 p.m.
Psychology Building, Room 101

Hosts: James Glazier [glazier@indiana.edu] and Olaf Sporns [osporns@indiana.edu].

Lecture: James L. Goodson

The Program in Neuroscience "N650 Neuroscience Fall 2009 Colloquium Series," Indiana University-Bloomington, invites you to the following talk.

James L. Goodson, Ph.D., Department of Biology, Indiana University-Bloomington, will present “Birds of a Feather: Evolution of Sociality and the Social Brain.”

Wednesday, September 16, 2009
4:00 p.m.
Psychology Building, Room 101

Abstract:
Species-typical group size (sociality) is a profoundly important aspect of behavior, but little research has focused on relevant neural mechanisms. This likely reflects limited tractability, since wide ranges of species-typical group sizes are difficult to accommodate in experimental settings and sociality is difficult to isolate for comparative study. For instance, rodent species that differ in sociality also tend to differ in other aspects of behavior and ecology that can influence neural and endocrine mechanisms, and even the socially-diverse songbirds offer few opportunities for highly controlled comparisons. The family Estrildidae (finches, waxbills and munias) is a remarkable exception. Estrildids are all monogamous, exhibit long-term pair bonds, and show biparental care. However, even within very specific ecological niches, estrildids display an extraordinary diversity in sociality, ranging from territorial male-female pairs to groups of dozens or hundreds of colonially breeding pairs. Fortuitously, this family also includes the most socially tractable laboratory songbird, the highly gregarious zebra finch. In a series of experiments, we have exploited the tractability of the estrildid family to demonstrate that vasopressin- and oxytocin-like neuropeptide systems, which are best known for their pair-bonding and maternal functions in mammals, exert a potent influence on avian sociality and are targeted by selection in reliable ways as species-typical group sizes evolve.

Lab Talk: Winona Snapp-Childs

The Speech Research Lab meeting this Friday (8/28) will feature a talk by IU postdoctoral fellow Winona Snapp-Childs on her research into relationships between perception and motor coordination. Her title and abstract are given below; all are invited and welcome to attend.

Friday, August 28
1:30 - 3:00 p.m.
PY 128

Winona Snapp-Childs, Indiana University, will present, "The Role of Perception in Coordinated Rhythmic Movement."

Abstract:
Coordinated rhythmic movements are fundamental and familiar forms of behavior (e.g. walking, running, drumming, and the like). Previous work has shown that bimanual rhythmic movement coordination is specifically structured. There are two forms of coordination that people can easily and spontaneously produce: 0° and 180°. Other coordination patterns can, but must, be learned. More recent studies have suggested that such movements are coupled perceptually (rather than neurally). I will present studies that provide evidence for the role of perception in coupling movements and investigate the perceptual information that is used. A non-linear dynamical model of perceptually-coupled rhythmic coordination will also be described briefly together with data that support the model.

Health Professions and PreLaw

Are you interested in even the possibility of attending law or medical school in the future? If so, these meetings should be considered mandatory!

1. PRELAW ORIENTATION with Frank Motley, Dean of Admission IUB Law School and HPPLC Director/Prelaw Advisor Mac Francis: Tuesday, September 8, 6:00 to 7:30 pm. (Quiet latecomers welcome). Law School Room 123 (corner of 3rd and Indiana).

2. PREMED ORIENTATION with Dr. Rachel Tolen, HPPLC Assistant Director and Premed Advisor: Tuesday, September 15, 6:00 to 7:30 pm. Indiana Memorial Union, Whittenberger Auditorium.

These meetings are sponsored by IU’s Health Professions and Prelaw Center (HPPLC), located across from the Union in Maxwell Hall 010. Get to know this office. They are dedicated to helping you become a well-prepared and successful applicant to professional school. Freshmen are strongly encouraged to meet with a preprofessional advisor.

ALL STUDENTS, including those who cannot attend the above meetings:

1. Register for your area’s email list. Go to www.hpplc.indiana.edu, and click the link for “Email Lists.” It takes 20 seconds. You will receive email only for your area of interest and year in school.

2. Review the material for your area at the above address.

3. Take a look at the HPPLC calendar of preprofessional events: http://www.hpplc.indiana.edu/events.php. Try to attend as many of these events as possible!

4. Make an individual appointment to meet with a preprofessional advisor. Just call 812.855.1873. You may also email HPPLC directly at hpplc@indiana.edu.

Announced by the Preprofessional Advisors at HPPLC

Lunch Speaker: Nicole McNeil

We have a special guest cognitive lunch speaker for our first Cognitive Lunch of the year.

Wednesday, September 9
12:10-1:20 p.m.
Psychology Building Room 128

Nicole McNeil, head of the Cognition, Learning, and Development Lab at the University of Notre Dame, will present, "Limitations to teaching 2 + 2 = 4: Knowledge of traditional arithmetic
hinders understanding of mathematical equivalence."

Abstract:
Why do children sometimes fail to learn new information, even after substantial amounts of experience or instruction? Several prevailing accounts suggest that learning difficulties are caused by something that children lack (e.g., working-memory resources or proficiency with prerequisite skills). In contrast, others argue that difficulties are caused, at least in part, by something that children have--existing knowledge. In this talk, I will focus on children's difficulties with mathematical equivalence (i.e., the concept that the two sides of an equation are equal and interchangeable), and I will present evidence that children's existing knowledge of arithmetic contributes to these difficulties. I will discuss how this evidence informs our understanding of theoretical issues related to cognition and development, as well as practical issues related to learning and instruction in the domain of mathematics.

Colloquium: Sharlene Newman

You are cordially invited to the following Speech and Hearing Sciences Colloquium.

September 14, 2009
4:00-5:00 p.m.
SPHS, Rm C141

Dr. Sharlene Newman, Assistant Professor of Psychology at Indiana University, will present "Neuroimaging Studies of Syntax."

Please join us!

Kelley Activity Fair

All students interested in Business are welcome to attend the Kelley Activity Fair.

Thursday, September 10
2:00-5:00 p.m.
Kelley Graduate Side
CG 0034 and 0036 (lowest level)

Meet people from several Kelley student organizations in one location. Organizations include:
Alpha Kappa Psi
Alternative Spring Break
Business Honors
Civic Leadership Development
Emerging Economies
Kelley School Diversity Council
Student Business Ambassadors
Kelley Student Government
Women in Business
and many more!

Refreshments will be provided. Bring a reusable bottle!

SPACKLED - An IU Study Group

You are cordially invited to join SPACKLED, an IU study group for the Philosophy/Psychology of Animal Cognition, Knowledge, Learning, Evolution, and Development.

We meet on a roughly bi-weekly schedule. Each meeting we discuss some recent pre-circulated papers on animal cognition.

For more information, you may visit our web site:
http://www.cogs.indiana.edu/spackled/

Please email Colin Allen at colallen@indiana.edu if you have any questions.

College and Life-Long Learning Workshops

These free workshops, offered by the Student Academic Center, focus on a variety of college-level learning strategies. They are scheduled on Tuesday evenings from 7:00-8:00 p.m. in Teter Academic Support Center TEF260 and Wednesday, 7:00-8:00 p.m. in Ballantine Hall BH 109. Check out our current College and Life Long Learning workshop schedules. Prior registration is NOT required for these workshops.

SCHEDULE

DATE PLACE WORKSHOP TITLE

TUE 9/1, WED 9/2 TEF 260, BH 109 Spring Into School with Effective Study Goal Setting
TUE 9/8, WED 9/9 TEF 260, BH 109 Where Does Time Go? Strategies to Beat Procrastination
TUE 9/15, WED 9/16 TEF 260, BH 109 Building Bridges, Not Walls: Learn to communicate with Your Instructor
TUE 9/22, WED 9/23 TEF 260, BH 109 Tips To Get Your Money's Worth Out of Your Textbooks
TUE 9/29, WED 9/30 TEF 260, BH 109 Note Taking Made Easy: Lectures and Power Point
TUE 10/6, WED 10/7 TEF 260, BH 109 College Thinking: Become a Better Memorizer
TUE 10/13, WED 10/14 TEF 260, BH 109 How to Ace Your Next Exam
TUE 10/20, WED 10/21 TEF 260, BH 109 How to Master Essay Exams
TUE 10/27, WED 10/28 TEF 260, BH 109 Making Groups Work for You
TUE 11/3, WED 11/4 TEF 260, BH 109 Motivating Yourself to Achieve Success!
TUE 11/10, WED 11/11 TEF 260, BH 109 Matching Your Learning Preferences to Academic Course Demands
TUE 11/17, WED 11/18 TEF 260, BH 109 May Day! May Day! Managing Stress?
TUE 12/1, WED 12/2 TEF 260, BH 109 Eyes of the Prize: Preparing for Success After College
TUE 12/8, WED 12/9 TEF 260, BH 109 How to Cope with Your Finals

"Study Smarter" Workshops

This series of free workshops is offered at each of the residential Academic Support Centers. Students need not live in the residential halls to attend the workshops.

The workshops occur on Mondays from 7:00-8:00 p.m. at either Forest or Briscoe Academic Support Centers.

Many of these workshops are directed to helping students with the learning of specific disciplines, for example, such as math, foreign language learning, sciences. Other workshops focus on helping students with the learning of subject specific courses, for example, "How to Succeed In Accounting A100."

In addition there are workshops devoted to helping students plan ahead to raduate/professional school. Check out our current Study Smarter workshop schedules. Prior registration is NOT required for these workshops.

SCHEDULE

DATE PLACE WORKSHOP TITLE

9/14 BRISCOE ASC How to Succeed in Accounting A100
9/21 FOREST ASC The Balancing Act: Getting Good Grades and Having Fun Too
9/28 BRISCOE ASC Learning from Your Returned Exam
10/5 FOREST ASC Information Management for Large Lectures
10/12 BRISCOE ASC Overcoming Procrastination Now
10/19 FOREST ASC Improving Reading Speed
10/26 BRISCOE ASC Emergency Test Preparation: A Systematic Approach to Cramming
11/2 FOREST ASC How to Succeed in Accounting A100
11/9 BRISCOE ASC Regrouping After Midterms: Multiplying Your Time
11/16 FOREST ASC Using Memory in Mastering Course Material
11/30 BRISCOE ASC Beating Test Anxiety
12/7 FOREST ASC Catching Up in a Course When All Hope Seems Gone

Call for Papers: Preparing for “The New Normal”

We invite you to participate in the 15th Annual Indiana University Undergraduate Research Conference at IU Bloomington.

Friday, November 20, 2009
8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Students are encouraged to submit an abstract and participate in this year’s conference, especially since it will be held in the Indiana Memorial Union. Please note that undergraduate research presenters and their faculty mentors’ registration fees are being covered by the University Graduate School.

The IU Undergraduate Research Conference (IUURC) annually rotates across IU campuses. This year, The University Graduate School is pleased to host the 15th annual conference on Friday, November 20 in Bloomington. Dr. Roosevelt Johnson, an IU alum, a Fellow of the AAAS Center for Advancing Science and Engineering Capacity (Capacity Center) and an Executive on Loan from the National Science Foundation is our keynote speaker this year. He will talk about the issues and opportunities undergraduates will need to consider as they “Prepare for ‘The New Normal’”.

Abstract Submission Deadline: October 23, 2009

Conference Registration Deadline: November 6, 2009

The Indiana University Undergraduate Research Conference (IUURC) is dedicated to the promotion of undergraduate research, scholarship, and creative activity performed in partnership with faculty or other mentors as a vital component of undergraduate education at Indiana University. The conference is open to all disciplines including (but not limited to): visual and performing arts, humanities, natural and physical sciences, mathematics, engineering, business and economics, education, and nursing. For more information, visit the IUURC website at http://www.crl.iupui.edu/IUURC

Conference Theme - The IUURC steering committee presents the 2009 conference theme to unify and focus discourse on a topic that touches all undergraduate researchers: Preparing for “The New Normal”. In an era of great uncertainty, a plethora of opportunities exist for those who optimize across multiple dimensions. The goal is to explore how new and original research advances our knowledge in all aspects of academia, health care, industry, and technology; and, provides solutions to the problems and limitations impacting an era marked both by uncertainty and opportunity.

Conference Speaker – Each year the IUURC Steering Committee invites a special speaker to talk about a topic that would be of interest to undergraduate researchers. This year’s keynoter is Dr. Roosevelt Y. Johnson. He serves as a Fellow of the AAAS Center for Advancing Science and Engineering Capacity (Capacity Center) and as an Executive on Loan from the National Science Foundation.

Research Roundtables – These events are recommended for students who are the beginning stages of their research projects or who are not making other, more formal presentations. All students delivering oral or poster presentations must also participate in the research roundtables. These are more informal presentations of research ideas or results by students for open discussion with other students and faculty in their discipline.

Abstract Preparation and Submission – Participants may give an oral or poster presentation. However, all participants must also present in a research roundtable. Abstract preparation directions are on the conference website. Abstracts are to be submitted online at http://crl.iupui.edu/IUURCRegistration/index.asp
All abstracts will be approved by the campus liaisons after submission online, and students will be notified by email of their acceptance to the conference.

Registration Procedures and Costs – The registration fee for those attending the conference with lunch is $24. For those attending sessions only, without the luncheon, the registration fee is $10. The campuses will pay for students presenting oral papers or posters, so the students themselves do not pay. All conference attendees need to register in
advance at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=QeMVN5FKl8l2UChcCK2Y9g_3d_3d

Campus Liaisons:
IU BLOOMINGTON
Yolanda Treviño, Ph.D.
Assistant Dean of Indiana University Graduate School
(812) 855-5697, ytrevino@indiana.edu

IU EAST
Mary Blakefield, Ph.D.
Associate Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs
(765) 973-8522, mblakefi@indiana.edu

IPFW FORT WAYNE
Jihad Albayyari, Ph.D.
Associate Vice Chancellor for Research and External Support
(260)481-6391, albayyaj@ipfw.edu

IUPUI INDIANAPOLIS
Elizabeth Rubens, M.Ed
Director of Undergraduate Research Programs, Center for Research and Learning
(317) 274-4590, erubens@iupui.edu

IU KOKOMO
Kathy Holcomb, Ph.D. Director, Center for Research and Creative Activity
(765) 455-9452, kmholcom@iuk.edu

IU NORTHWEST
Michael S. LaPointe, Ph.D. Assistant Professor, Department of Biology
(219) 980-7106, mslapoin@iun.edu

IU SOUTH BEND
Erika L. Zynda Office of Research
(574) 520-4181, ezynda@iusb.edu

IU SOUTHEAST
Walter F. Ryan, Ph.D. Dean of Research
(812) 941-2539, wryan@ius.edu

Basic Mediation Training

Are you interested in constructive conflict resolution, restorative justice, and the mediation process? The Community Justice & Mediation Center (CJAM) invites you to attend Basic Mediation Training.

September 12, 13, 19, and 20
8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
IU Maurer School of Law, Room 214

“Basic Mediation Training” is a great tool to add to the lifelong toolbox of community members interested in healing community harm, resolving neighbor-to-neighbor conflicts, alternative dispute resolution, criminal justice issues, or helping youth.

Participants who complete CJAM’s “Basic Mediation Training” are eligible to work as CJAM volunteer mediators; however, any community member interested in learning basic mediation skills is also welcome to participate.

Tuition for the training is $200, although a sliding scale is considered when applicable, and scholarships are available for those unable to afford the fee. Registration forms are available at www.cjam.org or by emailing training@cjam.org.

CJAM is a not-for-profit community leader in collaborative decision-making and conflict resolution, and CJAM’s experienced mediators have facilitated the resolution of a wide variety of community conflicts such as Victim-Offender Reconciliation, neighbor-to-neighbor and landlord-tenant disputes, and school and workplace disagreements among many others.

For information about “Basic Mediation Training” or other CJAM services, please visit www.cjam.org or contact the CJAM office at 812-336-8677.

Community Justice & Mediation Center
(812) 336-8677
www.cjam.org

2009 Fall Jobs Fair

The Career Development Center will hold the Fall Jobs Fair as follows:

Friday, August 28, 2009
9-11 a.m. (work-study students only)
1-3 p.m. (all students)
Indiana Memorial Union, Alumni Hall

Looking for employment on or off campus? Local Bloomington and on-campus employers will be looking for part-time employees at the Fall Jobs Fair! (Only students awarded work-study should attend from 9-11 a.m.; all students welcome at the afternoon fair.)

Students, to view a list of attending employers, please log in to your myIUcareers account.

Changes to Extended-X Grade Replacement Policy

In April, the Bloomington Faculty Council amended the Extended-X grade replacement policy effective Spring Term 2010. The two important changes are:

1. The elimination of the restriction that the course to be replaced must have been taken in the first 45 hours of coursework;

2. Students must now apply for the grade replacement by the Pass/Fail deadline of the second iteration of the course, moved up from the previous Automatic W withdrawal deadline.

The Bloomington Office of the Registrar web site has been updated to reflect these changes.

Again, these two changes are effective Spring Term 2010. Although the Spring 2010 calendar is not yet posted on the Registrar's web site, please note that Pass/Fail deadlines for first eight-week, second eight-week, and term classes are included in the Official Calendar published there.

Berlin School of Mind and Brain

The Berlin School of Mind and Brain is an international research school, located in the vibrant heart of Berlin. Founded in 2006 as part of Germany's Excellence Initiative, it offers a unique three-year interdisciplinary doctoral program in English in the mind/brain sciences.

Research within the School focuses on the interface between the humanities and the neurosciences. Of particular interest are research areas that fall on the borders between the mind sciences (e.g., philosophy, linguistics, behavioural and cognitive science, economics), and the brain sciences (e.g., neurophysiology, computational neuroscience, neurology, and neurobiology). Major topics of research within the program include: 'conscious and unconscious perception', 'decision-making', 'language', 'brain plasticity and lifespan ontogeny', 'mental disorders and brain dysfunction', and the 'philosophy of mind'. However, research is not limited to these areas, and students are strongly encouraged to develop and work at their own initiative on any projects that are relevant to interdisciplinary questions relating to mind and brain.

The School is situated in the center of Berlin, on the grounds of the Charite, the largest medical campus in Europe. The city itself is a major center for culture, politics, media, and science and is globally recognized for its rich art-scene, museums, internationally renowned festivals, and a pleasant and highly affordable standard of living.

Each year the School accepts ten to fifteen doctoral candidates into its program. Here are some excellent reasons why students might wish to be considered for one of these highly sought after positions at the Berlin School of Mind and Brain:

* The School has a faculty comprised of 60 distinguished researchers, including four Max Planck directors, which cover the gamut of research in the mind and brain sciences.
* Research within the School is strongly embedded in the basic and clinical research conducted within the region allowing for strong synergistic research initiatives and opportunities. Hosted by the Humboldt University, the School's research program includes scientists from the Free University, the Technical University, the Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience, the Max Planck Institute for Human Development (Berlin), the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences (Leipzig), and the nearby universities of Potsdam and Magdeburg.
* Students acquire a strong foundation for interdisciplinary work by attending ten one-week classes during the first half of their doctoral program, which cover all fields relevant for mind/brain-related research, and allow students to explore research methods and topics that they have not been previously exposed to. Each doctoral candidate is assigned two professorial advisors – one from the brain sciences, one from the mind sciences – in order to maximize the interdisciplinary impact of their work.
* Students meet with leading international researchers via the School's Distinguished Lecture Series, interactions with its senior visiting faculty, as well as by attending international workshops and meetings. As part of the School's commitment to maximizing students' research opportunities, the School also encourages and provides assistance for students to spend time studying and conducting research abroad during the course of their doctoral candidacy.
* Extensive practical services to international doctoral candidates are available, including assistance with visa applications, matriculation, health insurance, local authorities, scientific soft skill courses, and language classes.

Finally, there are good financial reasons for studying at the Berlin School of Mind and Brain:
* There are no tuition fees associated with the program.
* Administrative fees are very low. Administrative fees for attending the Humboldt University come to only approximately 250 euros per semester.
* The School offers generous scholarships to the best applicants. Students who were not successful in winning one of the school's own scholarships will receive support in obtaining alternative sources of funding (e.g. a research post within a university department or with one of the School's research groups, or help in finding alternative funding sources for a scholarship).
Recent progress in the neurosciences has opened up new and exciting avenues for research that raise challenging conceptual and ethical questions calling for an interdisciplinary approach. The Berlin School of Mind and Brain offers a unique research and training environment for doctoral candidates to work at this exciting interface between the sciences and the humanities.

For further information please contact:
Patrick Wilken
Humboldt-Universitaet zu Berlin
Berlin School of Mind and Brain
Luisenstraße 56
10099 Berlin
Germany
Web: http://www.mind-and-brain.de
Enquiries: admissions@mind-and-brain.de

Seminar: Steven J. Seay, Jr.

You are invited to the following public seminar:

Steven J. Seay, Jr. will speak on his dissertation research for the PhD in Psychology and Neural Science: "Information Search Behaviors Associated with Symptoms of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder."

Thursday, August 13, 2009
1:00 to 2:00 p.m.
Room 128, Psychology Building

Abstract:
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) has been shown to be associated with abnormalities in decision making on simple choice tasks. In this study, we applied the framework of the “fast and frugal heuristics” to investigate differences in multiattribute decision making associated with symptoms of OCD. Participants with varying levels of obsessive-compulsive (OC) symptoms completed a multiattribute decision making task in which they could purchase decision relevant information from 5 differentially-useful sources. Our findings suggest that OC symptoms were associated with differences in response quality, as well as differences in the process used to update cue orders. Higher OC symptoms were associated with a greater number of errors on the task. Moreover, higher OC symptoms were related to a greater tendency to make choices that were inconsistent with the available cue information and to more frequently terminate search prior to encountering a discriminating cue. With regard to the process used to update cue orders, higher OC symptoms predicted reduced cue order perseveration, increased search order reorganization, and poorer fit of the Simple Swap heuristic for characterizing information purchases during later decision trials. Finally, OC symptoms were correlated positively with indecision, intolerance of uncertainty, perfectionism, and tendencies to maximize ideal outcomes and avoid regret. This study advances our understanding of multiattribute decision making in OCD and provides some of the first evidence linking individual differences in information search behavior to psychopathology.

Committee in Charge
Professor Richard J. Viken, Chairperson
William P. Hetrick, Ph.D.
Brian F. O'Donnell, Ph.D.
Peter M. Todd, Ph.D.

Themester at IU Bloomington

IU Bloomington’s first-ever themed semester to focus on evolution, diversity, change

IU Home Pages Article By Jennifer Piurek
http://homepages.indiana.edu/web/page/normal/11559.html

Indiana University Bloomington will commence its first-ever themed semester this fall with Themester 2009: Evolution, Diversity and Change. More than 40 related courses will tie in with the themes of diversity and evolution to coincide with the 150th anniversary of Charles Darwin's On the Origin of the Species by Means of Natural Selection and the 200th anniversary of Darwin's birth.

Themester is grounded in the undergraduate curriculum and will draw parallels between different disciplines by offering a range of courses, performances and discussions surrounding related topics, said IU Professor Jean Robinson, associate dean for undergraduate education for the College of Arts and Sciences and director of Themester.

"It's an opportunity to connect learning inside the classroom with outside the classroom and find exciting ways to get students-particularly undergraduates-more engaged in thinking about serious problems, issues and concerns," said Robinson.

Themester is designed to offer students multiple opportunities to connect to the theme, starting with the wide range of classes for undergraduates. In addition to the 46 Themester-related courses -- which will outlive the fall semester -- there will be related theatrical performances on campus and in the community; special gallery and museum exhibitions; and speaker and film series and panel discussions. Speakers will address issues that include evolutionary game theory, the evolution of apes and monkeys, and the tension between evolution and faith.

"We'll have a philosopher who does work on evolution and creationism; a religious scholar who tries to find a middle path for people who have strong faith beliefs to show how faith can live side-by-side with evolution; and at the end, we'll have federal appeals court Judge John E. Jones III (who presided in a Pennsylvania case that determined intelligent design was religion and couldn't be taught in schools)," Robinson said.

"Students need to be exposed to big questions and big ideas requiring interdisciplinary knowledge that does not conveniently fall within individual disciplines," said Bennett Bertenthal, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. "Themester is an exciting opportunity to imbue in students the importance of studying major issues from multiple perspectives that are addressed through educational activities occurring in as well as outside the classroom. We fully anticipate that Themester will become a very popular program attracting students throughout the campus."

Cardinal Theater Company will stage Inherit the Wind, a play based on the 1925 Scopes Monkey Trial, during which a high school science teacher (John T. Scopes) was convicted for teaching Darwin's theory of evolution in opposition with Tennessee law. IUB's Department of Theatre and Drama will do a staged reading of Palmer Park, about "white flight" from Detroit in the 1960s, which will also be staged by universities throughout the Big 10.

Speakers during IU's Themester include well-known evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins (sponsored by Union Board) and Arthur Robson of Simon Fraser University who will give a public lecture titled "We Are Impatient Because We Die. But Why Do We Die?"

Special exhibitions will be on display at the IU Art Museum, Lilly Library, Kinsey Institute and Mathers Museum of World Cultures, while Myers Hall will have displays titled "Darwin's Voyage of the Beagle" and "Evolution" and Jordan Hall will display "Tropical Biodiversity."

"We don't want to shy away from controversy," said Robinson. "We embrace the idea that universities are communities where we need to explore ideas and consider lots of different sides and question things in a safe place."

For a complete schedule of Themester events, many of which are open to the public, go to this web site: http://themester.indiana.edu/index.shtml