Pesticides and Parkinson risk: William Scott, professor of human genetics and genomic medicine and associate director for informatics at the Miami Institute for Human Genomics, is leading research identifying possible links between the disease and pesticides.

UM to participate in live Webcast exploring the future of infrastructure and sustainability
Antonio Nanni, professor and chair of the Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering in the UM College of Engineering, will participate in a joint National Science Foundation-Popular Mechanics participatory Webcast program on the future of the nation’s infrastructure titled “Bridges to the Future: A Vision for Infrastructure in the 21st Century.” The program will consist of three sessions—"The Smart Grid," "Water in 2025," and "Standing Strong"—to provide insights into the problems of the infrastructure such as dams, conduits, and buildings, and the need to find solutions that are sustainable. The public will be able to participate and ask questions of the experts and decision makers.

Nanni will serve on the "Standing Strong" panel to talk about state-of-the-art building technology, monitoring systems, and sustainable construction and materials on Thursday, April 10 at 4:30 p.m. at www.nsf.gov/bridges. This event will be the first time a live nationwide Webcast takes place with researchers, policy makers, and the general public addressing the issues of infrastructure and sustainability in the United States.

To learn more, click here.

Brookings Institution Opportunity 08 forum tonight on future of military
With the two remaining Democratic presidential candidates and the presumptive Republican nominee Senator John McCain debating how they would address the war in Iraq and other military engagements overseas, a critical question that our candidates must acknowledge is “What is the Future of Our Military?” This topic and related key foreign policy questions concerning military readiness will be discussed at an Opportunity 08 forum hosted by the Brookings Institution, the University of Miami, and the UM Student Government today, Monday, April 7 in the Storer Auditorium at the College of Business Administration on the Coral Gables campus.

The Opportunity 08 forum will begin with an opening from University President Donna E. Shalala, who will introduce a discussion of the primary season and the issues impacting this debate. Panelists in the two sessions include Kenneth M. Duberstein, former presidential advisor and Opportunity 08 co-chair; Thomas E. Mann, Brookings senior fellow; Michael O’Hanlon, Brookings senior fellow and director of Opportunity 08; Peter Singer, Brookings senior fellow and director, 21st Century Defense Initiative; and June Teufel Dreyer, UM professor of political science.

Other sponsors include the University of Miami Council for Democracy and the University of Miami Get Out The Vote chapter. The forum, which is free and open to the public, will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Please RSVP to presidents.events@miami.edu. Doors for the event open at 5:45 pm. For more information on the event and panelists, click here.

Screen on the Green: Double feature on Friday
On Friday, April 11 UM invites the South Florida community to a free outdoor screening of Transformers at 8 p.m. followed by I Am Legend at 10 p.m. Moviegoers are encouraged to bring their blankets and lawn chairs and enjoy the movies under the stars on the Coral Gables campus University Green.

Transformers, from executive producer Steven Spielberg, is based on the successful cartoon from the ’80s featuring the thrilling battle between the heroic Autobots and the evil Decepticons. In I Am Legend, a terrible virus has spread across the planet and humanity's only hope for survival is the one person left unaffected by the epidemic, scientist Robert Neville, played by Will Smith. Both films are rated PG-13. For more information, e-mail umneighbors@miami.edu or call 305-284-5500.

Anderson Cooper to speak at Senior Convocation on April 14
CNN anchor Anderson Cooper will be the speaker at the Northern Trust Lecture Series 2008 Senior Convocation on Monday, April 14 at the BankUnited Center on the Coral Gables campus. This annual academic gathering brings world-renowned leaders to campus to share their intellectual insights and inspiring accomplishments with students, faculty, and staff.

Cooper, who anchors Anderson Cooper 360°, is widely known for his coverage of high-profile events all over the world. Affiliated with CNN since December 2001, Cooper also provides reports for CBS's 60 Minutes.
 
Cooper is also a freelance writer and the author of Dispatches from the Edge, a bestselling memoir about his experiences in international news. His varied experiences and penetrating insights promise a lively, thought-provoking exploration of global affairs and contemporary media. This event is open to the entire University community (students, faculty, staff, and invited guests). Your ’Cane Card is required for entry. The event will begin at 6:30 p.m.; doors open at 5:45 p.m.

April is Donate Life Month
April is National Donate Life Month. One person can help to save the lives of up to eight people and improve the lives of up to 50 through organ/tissue donation. There are currently almost 100,000 people in the United States waiting for a lifesaving transplant. Approximately 18 people die each day because an organ does not become available. Organ/tissue donation only becomes a possibility when all efforts to save someone’s life have been exhausted. To register to become an organ/tissue donor or for more information, contact UM's Life Alliance Organ Recovery Agency, a division of the DeWitt Daughtry Family Department of Surgery and a nonprofit community service organization certified and regulated by the federal government. Call 1-800-232-2892 or visit this Web site.

Hanging Ten Under the supervision of lifeguards, a youngster taking part in a special surf camp for autistic children catches a wave last Thursday on South Pointe Park in Miami Beach. About ten children, ages 9 to 15 years old, with high-functioning autism or Asperger Syndrome took part in the camp, which was conducted by the Miami Beach Parks and Recreation Department and the University of Miami-Nova Southeastern University Center for Autism and Related Disabilities (UM-NSU CARD), which is part of the Department of Psychology in the College of Arts and Sciences. During the weeklong camp, participants also learned about oceanography and marine life, meteorology, and snorkeling. Participants were recruited from the nearly 2,000 Miami-Dade constituents of UM-NSU CARD, which provides free programs, services, and research initiatives for almost 4,000 individuals with autism, their families, and the professionals who serve them throughout Miami-Dade, Broward, and Monroe counties.

MAIA hosts question-and-answer session
The Master of Arts in International Administration (MAIA) is hosting a question-and-answer session for prospective applicants from 6 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, April 8 at 102 McKnight Building. MAIA is a University-wide professional international relations program that combines international relations theory with practice and coursework in administration, management, and economics. It is a 30-credit program that can be taken on a full- or part-time basis, with core courses generally offered on weekday evenings. Reservations are required by sending an e-mail to maiaprogram@miami.edu or calling 305-284-8783. For more information, visit www.miami.edu/maia.

Submit questions for upcoming graduate faculty meeting
The spring graduate faculty meeting will be held at the Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science on Friday, April 25 at 3 p.m. in the Rosenstiel auditorium. Immediately following the meeting, there will be refreshments for all meeting attendees in the W. C. Smith Commons on the water's edge. Any attendees who have questions regarding graduate education at UM for Terri Scandura, dean of the Graduate School, may submit them to mrowand@miami.edu before Sunday, April 20. All UM graduate faculty are invited. For more information, call 305-284-4154.

Learn the SpinPlus System to help locate funding opportunities
Maria Valero-Martinez will demonstrate how to use the SpinPlus System to locate funding opportunities on Wednesday, April 9 from noon to 1 p.m. in the Fred C. and Helen Donn Flipse Building, room 502 on the Coral Gables campus. SpinPlus is a Web-based system composed of three modules: Spin, a funding opportunities database; Genius, a database of scientific and scholarly expertise; and Smarts, a funding alert system. Please register at Ulearn.miami.edu. For more information, please contact Sofia Aymerich at saymerich@med.miami.edu.

UM Family Night tickets available this week
Ticket distribution will resume this week for the Third Annual University of Miami Family Night with the Marlins on Saturday, May 3 at Dolphin Stadium.

This year’s family night, which will feature the Marlins taking on the San Diego Padres, will also include lots of great pre- and post-game festivities, including a concert by El Gran Combo, the internationally renowned salsa band from Puerto Rico, and a fireworks display. The game will start at 7:10 p.m., and the pre-game activities will begin at 4:10 p.m.
 
Each regular employee can receive one complimentary ticket and purchase up to three additional tickets for $1 each. If you wish to obtain more than three guest tickets, additional tickets are $7 each. Children 2 years old and younger do not require tickets. Each employee and their first three guests will also receive a complimentary meal voucher for a hot dog, chips, and soda.
   
You must have a valid ’Canes Card (UM ID) to receive your tickets; only one ID card per person will be permitted. You can only receive tickets at a single ticket distribution session; you cannot go multiple times.

The following are upcoming ticket distribution locations and times:

• Coral Gables Campus: Today, Monday, April 7, at the Wellness Center Atrium and Richter Library Breezeway and Monday, April 14, at the Richter Library Breezeway, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Rosenstiel School Campus: Wednesday, April 9, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Dean’s Office second-floor breezeway.
• Miller School Campus: Friday, April 11 and 18, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Schoninger Quadrangle.

Deadline for submissions to Cancer Research Poster Session
In honor of its founding director, Charles Gordon Zubrod, this lecture is held in association with the annual cancer research poster competition on Thursday, May 1. The goal of this event is to provide a competitive stimulus for creativity in research and an opportunity for the exchange of ideas. Faculty, fellows, residents, medical students, postdoctoral trainees, and graduate students are encouraged to participate by attending the lecture, presenting a poster, or by viewing the posters of their colleagues. Submit poster abstracts before Friday, April 18. For more information, e-mail ddames@med.miami.edu or call 305-243-2287.

InfoEd Proposal Development System: hands-on workshop April 14
Learn how to use the InfoEd Proposal Development System to prepare and submit your proposal electronically to the NIH. InfoEd streamlines the proposal development process and is Web-based, making it accessible almost anywhere by Mac and PC users. This session will help participants create, route, submit, and track proposals using the system. The training occurs on Monday, April 14 from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Calder Medical Library, Electronic Classroom. To register, visit Ulearn.miami.edu. For more information, e-mail saymerich@med.miami.edu.

Grants.gov workshop
A computer lab training course is being offered on Monday, April 14 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Calder Medical Library, providing hands-on instruction for electronic submission of proposals through Grants.gov. The trainer will walk participants through the process, as well as provide tips for avoiding common errors. Attendees will gain a better understanding of the requirements for electronic submissions. To register, visit Ulearn.miami.edu. For more information, e-mail saymerich@med.miami.edu.

Presentation: What to expect during a compliance audit
Attend this presentation on Thursday, April 17 from 12 to 1 p.m. at the Batchelor Building, Baxter Conference Room, which will describe the types of audits that are conducted, the audit process, the audit report, and the distribution of a report once an audit is complete. Individuals who attend will learn what information and documentation the auditor reviews, the areas documented, and how significance is assigned to the findings. Also learn how to prepare for an audit, including the most common findings that result from compliance audits.To register, visit Ulearn.miami.edu. For more information, e-mail saymerich@med.miami.edu.

GRANITE Web Animal Orders System
Attention lab animal requesters: Learn to create, edit, submit, and view animal order requests in the Web Animal Orders System. Also learn how to separate cages and transfer animals. Training will be held on Monday, April 14, from 12 to 1 p.m. at the Calder Memorial Library, third-floor computer classroom.  Space is limited and registration is required. To enroll, e-mail resinfo@med.miami.edu.

New 2007 Total Compensation Statements in the mail
As part of the University's ongoing commitment to improve quality across the organization, a new Total Compensation Statement was created. The new statement was designed to provide you with a more comprehensive look at your overall UM compensation, and it reflects both your cash salary and UMatter Benefits. Your 2007 Total Compensation Statement was mailed last week to your preferred mailing address as listed in myUM. The new statement replaces the previous Personal Benefits Statement. To view a reference guide to the 2007 Total Compensation Statement, click here. If you have any questions, please complete the online form to e-mail a benefits expert at www.miami.edu/benefits/ask.

Additional CoverageFirst 1500 medical plan lunch-and-learn sessions this week
Are you enrolled in the CoverageFirst 1500 plan but are unsure exactly how it works? Attend the CoverageFirst lunch-and-learn session at the Miller School campus on Tuesday, April 8 from 12 to 1 p.m. at the Mailman Center for Child Development, eighth-floor auditorium. At the Coral Gables campus, attend on Wednesday, April 9 from 12 to 1 p.m. at the Flamingo Ballroom A in the University Center.

Learn more about how the CoverageFirst 1500 benefit allowance works with expenses such as office visits, UMatter preventive care benefits, and a Flexible Spending Account. Also learn how to track benefit allowance and medical expenses at the myHumana.com Web site. To R.S.V.P., call 305-284-3004 or e-mail vagramonte@miami.edu. If you are unable to attend and still have questions, visit www.miami.edu/benefits/ask.

If you have questions about any of your UMatter Benefits, visit www.miami.edu/benefits/ask and complete the online form.

Water on the rise “[It] basically takes all of our barrier islands and makes them close to unlivable.” Harold Wanless, professor and chair of the Department of Geological Sciences, on Florida's coastline and the effects of rising sea levels. St. Petersburg Times March 28 High school graduation rates “No matter how you slice it, Miami isn't doing too well. We can't lose sight of that.” Walter Secada, professor in the School of Education, on arguments concerning a recent national report that found fewer than half of Miami-Dade's public school students are graduating from high school on time. The Miami Herald April 2 A recovery story “So now we have a man who can be cured and father children through modern medicine. It's a miracle.” Mark Soloway, professor and chair of the Department of Urology at the Miller School of Medicine, on a South Florida man who was diagnosed with prostate cancer at a young age, but through advanced science has recovered and fathered more children. NBC 6 April 1

Today, Monday, April 7 “Global Climate Change and Your Health.” In recognition of 2008 World Health Day and National Public Health Week, the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health is holding a daylong symposium from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Lois Pope LIFE Center, seventh floor auditorium. This year’s common theme for World Health Day and National Public Health Week is protecting health from the effects of climate change. The symposium will address climate-related risks to your health in South Florida and highlight how climate changes worldwide represent important global public health challenges for the 21st century. Experts from across the Miller School, Rosenstiel, and Coral Gables campuses and South Florida will take part in the dialogue about the challenges and risks to our health from climate change and what we can do to mitigate the damage. For more information, call 305-243-4312 or e-mail fkuchkarian@med.miami.edu.

Today, Monday, April 7 Biology Departmental Seminars. Sabrina Russo, assistant professor at the School of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska at Lincoln, presents "Linking Functional and Species Diversity in Bornean Rain Forest." The event occurs at 12:20 p.m. at the Cox Science Center, room 166.

Tuesday, April 8 “Transcriptional Regulation of Heart Valve Development.” Joy Lincoln, assistant professor of molecular and cellular pharmacology at the Miller School of Medicine, presents at 12 p.m. in the Rosenstiel Medical Science Building, fourth-floor auditorium. For more information, call 305-243-6691 or e-mail naviles@med.miami.edu.

Tuesday, April 8 Division of Hospital Medicine Grand Rounds Series. Venessa S. Price, assistant director of clinical services, pharmacy department, JHS Public Health Trust, and Ayanna D. Phillips, clinical manager, adult medical and surgical services, JHS Public Health Trust, present "Ways to Reduce Prescribing Errors and Enhance Patient Safety" at 12 p.m. in the JMH Central Building, second-floor auditorium. For more information, e-mail hmichtalik2@med.miami.edu or visit www.cme.med.miami.edu.

Wednesday, April 9 Discussion with Economist Simeon Djankov. UM's Joint Program on Law, Public Policy, and Ethics, the Business Law Review, and the World Bank, host a discussion with the chief economist and creator of the World Bank’s Doing Business series. The event occurs at 5:30 p.m. at the School of Law, room F108. To RSVP, call 305-284-3870 or e-mail snelson@law.miami.edu.

Wednesday, April 9 Architecture Lecture. Rahul Mehrotra, architect and urban planner, Rahul Mehrotra & Associates, Mumbai, India, will speak at the Jorge M. Perez Architecture Center Glasgow Hall. Refreshments will be served at 6 p.m. and the lecture is at 6:30 p.m.

Thursday, April 10 through Saturday, April 12 2008 National Conference in Child Health Psychology. The Departments of Psychology and Pediatrics host the 2008 National Conference in Child Health Psychology at the Miami Beach Resort and Spa. This conference will bring together over 500 psychologists and students with research and clinical interests in child health psychology. University president Donna E. Shalala is the invited keynote on Friday, April 11 at 5:30 pm. For more information, visit www.childhealthpsych2008.com.

Thursday, April 10 College of Engineering Distinguished Speaker Series. William P. Murphy, founder of the medical instrument company Cordis Corporation, a prolific inventor holding 17 patents, and recipient of the Lemelson-Massachusetts of Technology Lifetime Achievement Award for Invention, will speak. This event takes place from 12 to 1 p.m. in Room 202 of the McArthur Engineering Annex. For more information, contact Anne Schaerli at 305-284-2908 or e-mail Aschaerli@miami.edu.

Thursday, April 10 Cuban Art Today Panel. Antonio Fernandez, Gerardo Mosquera, Rachel Weiss, and Juan Martinez, will focus on new developments in Cuban arts since the famed generations of the ‘80s and ‘90s. What are the issues that artists in Cuba are addressing at the dawn of the new century and in response to new realities in Cuba and globalization? In what ways do Cuban artists carry an inheritance from the previous generation? How are the works produced by Cuban artists outside of the island impacting contemporary art in Cuba? The event will be moderated by Lillian Manzor, director of Latin American Studies Degree Programs and associate professor of Spanish. It occurs at 7 p.m. in the Learning Center, room 120. For more information, call 305-284-1854 or e-mail umclas@miami.edu.

Friday, April 11 UM/Sylvester Conversations About Cancer Seminar. Mario Landera, a speech pathologist in the Miller School of Medicine Department of Otolaryngology, will discuss “Swallowing Problems Following Cancer Treatments” from 12 to 1 p.m. at the Best Western Deerfield Beach Hotel, 1050 East Newport Center Drive. Reservations are required by calling 1-800-545-2292.

Friday, April 11 Department of Pediatrics Friday Noon Lecture Series. The training division of the Department of Pediatrics presents Alma Vega, FAETC coordinator and trainer at the Batchelor Childrens Research Institute, for a discussion on "Pediatric HIV and Cognitive Abilities." The event occurs from 12 to 1 p.m. in the Mailman Center for Child Development, room 3023. Lunch will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis. For more information, call 305-243-4466 or e-mail wcastro@med.miami.edu.

Monday, April 14 Biology Departmental Seminars. Theodore Fleming, professor in the Department of Biology, presents "The Evolution of Tropical Vertebrate Pollination Systems in Time and Space." The event occurs at 12:20 p.m. at the Cox Science Center, room 166.

Monday, April 14 UM/Sylvester Conversations About Cancer Seminar. Emeka Ikpeazu, associate professor of clinical medicine, Miller School of Medicine, will discuss “Side Effects of Chemotherapy and Their Management” from 1 to 2 p.m. at the Best Western Deerfield Beach Hotel, 1050 East Newport Center Drive. Reservations are required by calling 1-800-545-2292.

Tuesday, April 15 Center for Latin American Studies Distinguished Speaker Series. “Latino Migrants on Two Coasts: Experiences of South Florida and Southern California Compared” will be the subject of a panel discussion with Sam Quiñones, Los Angeles Times correspondent and author of two books on Mexicans in the U.S.; Susan Reina, executive director of Mujeres Unidas en Justicia, Educación y Reforma Social; FIU sociology professor Lisandro Perez; and Magdaleno Rose-Avila, former director of the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project and expert on immigrant rights and transnational gang immigration. The event will take place in The Learning Center, Classroom 120 at 7 p.m. For more information, please contact CLAS at umclas@miami.edu or 305-284-1854.

Tuesday, April 15 “The Latino Health Paradox.” The Jay Weiss Center for Social Medicine and Health Equity Grand Rounds Series and Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society welcome Eliseo J. Perez-Stable, 2008 AOA visiting professor, professor of medicine, and chief of the Division of General Internal Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, who will present at 12 p.m. in the Rosenstiel Medical Sciences Building, third-floor auditorium. Lunch will be provided. For more information, e-mail Khoughton@med.miami.edu or visit www.jayweisscenter.org. Perez-Stable will also be giving the Department of Medicine Grand Rounds on "Health Disparities for the Clinician" on Wednesday, April 16 at 12 p.m. in the Rosenstiel Medical Sciences Building, third-floor auditorium.

Tuesday, April 15 “Haiti: History, Memory, Patrimony.” Attend a panel discussion with Rachel Beauvoir-Dominique, professor at the Université d’État d’Haïti and author of Bois Caïman: Investigations autour du Site Historique and L’Ancienne Cathédrale de Port-au-Prince: Perspectives d’un Vestige de Carrefours. Beauvoir-Dominique will be accompanied by Henry Robert Jolibois, professor at the Université d’État d’Haïti and former general director, Institut de Sauvegarde du Patrimoine National. The event occurs in the Learning Center, Classroom 192 at 4:30 p.m.

Wednesday, April 16 Transgenic Seminar Series 2008. UM/Sylvester presents Peter Sobieszczuk, core manager of the transgenic animal core facility, who will deliver "New Directions for Transgenic Approaches: Genetic Engineering of Mouse Models for Cancer Research," among a host of other presenters. The seminar series occurs at 12 p.m. in the Medical Training and Simulation Laboratory auditorium. Lunch will be provided and seating is limited. For more information, call 305-243-2272 or e-mail psobies@med.miami.edu.

Thursday, April 17 The College of Engineering Distinguished Speaker Series. John H. Linehan, professor of biomedical engineering and medicine and director of the Center for Translational Innovation at Northwestern University, will speak on some of science’s most exciting problems arising at the intersections of various disciplines and how unmet clinical needs still exist in health care. This event takes place from 12 to 1 p.m. in the McArthur Engineering Annex, room 202. For more information, call 305-284-2908 or e-mail Aschaerli@miami.edu.

Thursday, April 17 The M. Lewis Temares Entrepreneurship Forum. The annual M. Lewis Temares Entrepreneurship Forum sponsored by the College of Engineering will host Robert Newman, founder of J.D. Edwards and Company and owner of Greenwood Gulch Ventures, a venture capital company. This is an interactive event in which the audience is encouraged to ask questions and share their perspectives on entrepreneurship. After the forum, there is a networking reception. The event is free and open to the public, but reservations are required. The event takes place at 6 p.m. at the BankUnited Center's Hurricane 100 Room. To reserve a space, call 305-284-6764 or e-mail mpando@miami.edu.

Friday, April 18 “MAPK Signaling Induces Membrane Lipid Anisotropy.” Jeremy Thorner, William V. Power Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology in the Department of Molecular and Cell Biology at the University of California, Berkeley, presents at 12 p.m. in the Gautier Building, room 118. For more information, call 305-243-6265 or e-mail sperez6@med.miami.edu.

Tuesday, April 22 Conference on Health and Well-Being. Register now for the inaugural Well-Being/Being Well conference, which offers an integrated, educational approach to achieving a healthy lifestyle. The one-day conference, to be held at the InterContinental Hotel in Miami, will feature concurrent breakout sessions and panel discussions covering a wide variety of timely issues including: genetics, clinical trials, cancer survival, preventive health care, holistic treatments, nutrition, and exercise and lifestyle. As a highlight of the conference, President Donna E. Shalala, a renowned expert on health care, and Deepak Chopra, one of the world’s leaders in the field of mind and body medicine, will present keynote speeches during the opening and lunch sessions. Attendance is limited to 800 and admission is $100 per person. For more information, call 305-243-9949 or visit www.sylvester.org/wellbeing.

Through April 27 Japanese Masters Film Festival. The Bill Cosford Cinema and the School of Communication will present throughout the month of April a series of films by Japanese master directors. The series continues with Sansho The Bailiff on Friday, April 11 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, April 13 at 1:30 p.m.; and Ugetsu on Saturday, April 12 at 5:30 p.m. and Sunday, April 13 at 4 p.m. See a screening of Late Spring on Friday, April 18 at 7:30 p.m. and on Saturday, April 19 at 6 p.m. See Good Morning on Saturday, April 19 at 2 p.m. and Sunday, April 20 at 4 p.m. The films have Japanese dialogue with English subtitles. All screenings will be held at the Bill Cosford Cinema in the Memorial Building on the Coral Gables campus. Tickets are $8 general admission; $6 seniors, UM employees, and non-UM students; free for UM students. ID required for discounted prices. For more information, including other films in the series, call 305-284-4861 or visit com.miami.edu/cosford.

Thursday, April 10 “An Evening of Divine Intoxication: The Mystical Love Poetry of Rumi, Hafez, and Kabir.” Enjoy the art of the Persian poets Jalaluddin Rumi and Hafez-e Shirazi and the Indian bhakti poet Kabir, at 8:15 p.m. in Fillmore Hall at the Frost School of Music. The mystical love poetry of Rumi, Hafez, and Kabir urges humanity to live in peace, to celebrate diversity, to serve the highest calling, and to love without prejudices. The evening¹s performers will be Peter Rogen reciting the poetry, Arasalaan Douglas Fay on the ney (reed flute), and Osiris Nunez playing the frame drum. This event is free and open to the public. For more information, call 305-284-4733 or e-mail kruffle@miami.edu. This event is sponsored by the Department of Religious Studies and the Frost School of Music Bachelor of Arts in Music Program.

Thursday, April 10 Ethics in Film Series: Maxed Out. Adrienne Arsht and the UM Ethics Programs, the School of Communication, and the University of Miami Alumni Association present one of the films in a series designed to promote discussion of “reel-life” dilemmas and decision-making. Maxed Out examines our American “debt-style,” in which anyone can buy anything as long as they can make that minimum monthly payment. The screening takes place at 7 p.m. in the Bill Cosford Cinema. Enjoy the film and stay for the subsequent panel discussion, which will feature bankruptcy attorney and UM School of Law alumnus Douglas J. Snyder and Richard of Debtors Anonymous Support Group. Refreshments  will be served at 6:15 p.m. Admission is complimentary. No R.S.V.P. required. For more information, call 305-284-2872 or e-mail alumni@miami.edu. For more information on the UM Ethics Programs, visit www.miami.edu/ethics, and for the School of Communication, visit com.miami.edu.

Thursday through Sunday, April 10-13 Frost Opera Theater Double Bill. The Frost Opera Theater concludes its critically acclaimed 2007-08 season when Mozart’s Bastien and Bastienne and Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas share the stage at the University of Miami’s Maurice Gusman Concert Hall in fully staged productions accompanied by members of the Frost Symphony Orchestra. Mozart’s early childhood opera arrives in style with a newly commissioned English translation by Rafael de Acha, paired with the tragedy of Dido and Aeneas in Purcell’s great Baroque opera. Performances are Thursday through Saturday, April 10-12 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, April 13 at 3 p.m. Tickets are $20 general admission, $10 seniors, $5 UM students, faculty, and staff. (The Thursday, April 10 performance is free for UM students, faculty, and staff.) For tickets and information, call 305-284-4886.

Underground images: J. Tomás López, Parisian Dreams, 2007, from The Metro Series.

Saturday, April 12 through Sunday, June 8 UM Faculty Exhibition: The Metro Series and UM Students/M.F.A. Exhibitions. The Lowe Art Museum’s annual UM Faculty Exhibition will feature the works of J. Tomás López, professor of art and art history and head of electronic media/4D. For his exhibit, The Metro Series, López took his camera underground into the subways in six cities— New York, Paris, Madrid, Rome, Barcelona, and London—to document urban transportation as both phenomenon and theatre. A special preview featuring a lecture by López will be held on Friday, April 11 at 7 p.m. The UM Student Exhibition will be on view from April 12 through May 4, with a reception on April 11 from 8 to 10 p.m. And the M.F.A. Exhibition is from May 8 through June 8, with a reception on May 7 from 7 to 9 p.m.

The Lowe Art Museum is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays; 12 to 7 p.m. Thursdays; and 12 to 5 p.m. Sundays. Admission is $7 for adults, $5 for non-UM students with ID, and free to members, UM students, faculty, and staff, and children under 12. For more information, call 305-284-3535 or visit www.lowemuseum.org.

Sunday, April 13 Civic Chorale Concert. Singing in the Spring, the Civic Chorale of Greater Miami’s last concert of the 2007-08 season, takes place at 4 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church of Coral Gables. Renowned gospel singer and Frost School of Music alumnus Terence Clayton will make a special guest appearance at the concert, which will also feature the South Beach Chamber Ensemble. The chorale will perform Schubert’s Mass in G accompanied by the South Beach Chamber Ensemble and other familiar choral favorites as well as new works. Tickets, which are available at the door, are $15 for adults, $10 for seniors, and $5 for students. For more information, e-mail civicchorale.music@miami.edu, or call 305-271-6897.

Thursday, April 17 Ethics in Film Series: The Constant Gardener. Adrienne Arsht and the UM Ethics Programs, the School of Communication, and the University of Miami Alumni Association present this screening at the Cosford Cinema that stars Ralph Fiennes and Rachel Weisz at 7 p.m. The plot involves the story of a British diplomat who, while investigating his wife's murder in Africa, uncovers an international conspiracy of corrupt bureaucracy and pharmaceutical money. Participate in a panel discussion afterward featuring Jeffrey Brosco, associate professor of clinical pediatrics and pediatrics director of the Bioethics Program, and Mohammed Kaif, UM medical student. Admission is complimentary. Light refreshments will be provided at 6:15 p.m. No R.S.V.P. necessary. For more information, call 305-284-2872 or e-mail alumni@miami.edu.