Happenings

Lectures/Seminars/Readings

2017 Roscoe Robinson Jr. Memorial Lecture Series on Diversity and Public Service, featuring Reuben Brigety, dean of the Elliot School of International Affairs at George Washington University and former U.S. Representative to the African Union and Deputy Assistant Secretary of State in the Bureau of African Affairs, 4 p.m. Feb. 8, Year of Diversity, University Club Ballroom A, www.yearofdiversity.pitt.edu

“New Perspectives on Signals in Cell Biology from Magnetic Resonance,” Ann McDermott, Esther Breslow Professor of Biological Chemistry, Columbia University, presents the 35th Annual Pittsburgh Conference Lecture, 4 p.m. Feb. 8, 150 Chevron Science Center, www.chem.pitt.edu

“Transmembrane Allostery: Activation and Inactivation of an Ion Channel by Solid State NMR,” Ann McDermott, Esther Breslow Professor of Biological Chemistry, Columbia University, presents the 35th Annual Pittsburgh Conference Lecture, 2:30 p.m. Feb. 9, 150 Chevron Science Center, www.chem.pitt.edu

“Staged Seduction: Selling Dreams in a Tokyo Host Club,” Akiko Takeyama, associate professor of Anthropology and Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, University of Kansas, 3 p.m. Feb. 10, 3106 Posvar Hall, www.anthropology.pitt.edu

“Disability in Poetry and Prose,” Molly McCully Brown, author and John and Renee Grisham Fellow, University of Mississippi, and Stephen Kuusisto, author and professor in the Center on Human Policy, Law and Disability Studies, Syracuse University, workshop at 2:30 p.m. and reading at 8:30 p.m. Feb. 14, Year of Diversity, 501G Cathedral of Learning, www.english.pitt.edu

“Frontiers of Element-Specific Analysis in Pharmaceutical Research,” Xiaodong Bu, principal scientist at Merck, 4 p.m. Feb. 14, 150 Chevron Science Center, www.chem.pitt.edu

“Elucidating Energy Storage in Soft Nanostructures through Versatile Electrochemistry,” Joaquin Rodriguez-Lopez, assistant professor of chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2:30 p.m. Feb. 16, 150 Chevron Science Center, www.chem.pitt.edu

“From Stonewall to the Supreme Court,” The Open Door Project presents its Third Thursday Series featuring an interdisciplinary panel of experts discussing past achievements, current priorities, and future challenges of LGBTQ+ Americans and their allies, 3 p.m. Feb. 16, Year of Diversity, 3703 Posvar Hall, www.yearofdiversity.pitt.edu

“Interfacial and Bulk Structures of Ionic Liquids with Domain Disrupting Functionalities,” Edward Castner, professor in the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, 4 p.m. Feb. 16, 150 Chevron Science Center, www.chem.pitt.edu

“Political Science Methodology: A Plea for Pluralism,” Sharon Crasnow, Center for Philosophy of Science Visiting Fellow and distinguished professor emerita, Norco College, 12:05 p.m. Feb. 17, 817R Cathedral of Learning, www.pitt.edu/~pittcntr

“Teaching About Race: Whose Intellectual Traditions Matter and What Can We Do About It?” Ron Jackson, professor of communications, University of Cincinnati, 12:30 p.m. Feb. 17, Year of Diversity, Humanities Center, 602 Cathedral of Learning, www.wstudies.pitt.edu

“The Dangerous Public Fantasies of Post-racialism and the Black Bogeyman,” Ron Jackson, professor of communications, University of Cincinnati, 3 p.m. Feb. 17, Year of Diversity, G24 Cathedral of Learning, www.wstudies.pitt.edu

“Unruly Futurities: Temporality, Scale, and Speculation in Modi’s Statue of Unity,” Kajri Jain, associate professor of Indian visual culture and contemporary art, University of Toronto, 3 p.m. Feb. 17, 4130 Posvar Hall, www.anthropology.pitt.edu

“Watchdog of the Department of Veterans Affairs: Ensuring Effective Services for Veterans and Proper Spending of Taxpayer Dollars,” Michael Missal, inspector general of the Department of Veterans Affairs, will discuss his role and his priorities, challenges, and vision for the office during the latest installment of the Discussions on Governance Lecture Series, 12 p.m. Feb. 22, Ballroom A, https://www.thornburghforum.pitt.edu 

Pittsburgh Contemporary Writers Series, Maggie Nelson, renowned author, will read from her New York Times best selling book, The Argonauts, 8:30 p.m. Feb. 23, Frick Fine Arts Auditorium, https://pghwriterseries.wordpress.com

Concerts

The Pittsburgh Trombone Project, committed to raising the profile of the trombone as a chamber music instrument by demonstrating its versatility through classical, jazz, and pop music, 3 p.m. Feb. 12, Heinz Memorial Chapel, www.heinzchapel.pitt.edu

Music on the Edge: Hypercube, Music on the Edge, a contemporary music ensemble in the Department of Music, presents a new and cutting-edge contemporary music ensemble, Hypercube, featuring an eclectic combination of chamber music and rock and roll, 8 p.m. Feb. 18, Andy Warhol Museum, www.music.pitt.edu

The Whiffenpoofs of Yale University Concert, the world’s oldest and best-known collegiate a cappella group bring their levity and talents to Pittsburgh, 8 p.m. Feb. 18, Heinz Memorial Chapel, for information on tickets, visit www.heinzchapel.pitt.edu

Miscellaneous

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, University of Pittsburgh Stages and the Department of Theater Arts present this quirky and compelling story of a middle school spelling bee, 8 p.m. (Tues. through Sat.) and 2 p.m. (Sun.) Feb. 9–Feb. 19, Henry Heyman Theatre, www.play.pitt.edu

Valentine’s Day at Heinz Chapel, legend has it that if you kiss on the steps of Heinz Chapel you will one day be married there; Heinz Chapel will be giving out roses to the first 50 couples and is available for pictures, 4 p.m. Feb. 14, Heinz Memorial Chapel, www.heinzchapel.pitt.edu

PhD Dissertations

Brian Rooks, Department of Statistics, “Statistical Analysis of Random Symmetric Post-Definite Matrices via Eigen-Decomposition,” noon Feb. 10, 1811 Posvar Hall

Coyne Drummond, Molecular Virology and Microbiology in the School of Medicine, “The Development of Physiologically Relevant Cell Culture Models for Intestinal Enterovirus Infection,” 2 p.m. Feb. 16, 402 Bridgeside Point II 

Puja K. Parekh, School of Medicine’s Center for Neuroscience, “The Differential Regulation of Synaptic Plasticity, Mood and Reward Behavior by Circadian Genese,” 10 a.m. Feb. 20, 1495 Biomedical Science Tower

Elizabeth Ann Rogers, Graduate School of Public Health’s Department of Epidemiology, “Perceived Barriers and Facilitators, Physical Activity, and Functional Limitations Among Older Adults,” 1 p.m. Feb. 24, A719 Graduate School of Public Health Building