September 27, 2004

UCSC begins 40th year: Lectures, other events kick off anniversary celebration

By Louise Donahue

A number of events—including several high-profile lectures—will take place in October, ushering in the celebration of UCSC's 40th year.

A 40th-year celebration web site has been established to showcase UCSC accomplishments and promote anniversary events and activities; the 40th-year logo, above, can be downloaded from that site. Campus departments are invited to incorporate the 40th-year theme in their annual events, publications, and special projects.

Former Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt, supervising producer of Fahrenheit 9/11 Tia Lessin, renowned ethnomusicologist Nazir Jairazbhoy, and global technology executive Lee Ting will be speaking at events under the umbrella of the 40th Anniversary Thinking at the Edge Lecture Series.

Other special events include the Harvest Festival October 9 and the International Economics Conference October 15-16 at the University Center.

Babbitt, who served for eight years in the Clinton administration, will give the inaugural Fred Keeley Lecture on Environmental Policy, speaking on "Environmental Policy for a New Century" at 7:30 p.m. October 5 in the Music Center Recital Hall. Admission is free and open to the general public. (See earlier story.)

The Keeley Lecture on Environmental Policy honors former state Assemblyman Fred Keeley and is sponsored by the STEPS Institute for Innovation in Environmental Research.

Documentary filmmaker Tia Lessin, the supervising producer of Fahrenheit 9/11, will give a free public talk on "Documentary Film and Human Rights," at noon on October 6 in Room 150 of the Communications Building. (See story.)

An accomplished filmmaker in her own right, Lessin has been part of Moore's team for almost 10 years, working as supervising producer on Fahrenheit 9/11, winner of the 2003 Cannes Palme D'Or and the highest-grossing documentary film in history, and the Oscar-winning Bowling for Columbine.

UCLA emeritus professor and renowned ethnomusicologist Nazir Jairazbhoy will be the featured speaker at the fourth annual Sidhartha Maitra Memorial Lecture at 5:30 p.m. October 17 in the Music Center Recital Hall. Known as the "father of Indian ethnomusicology" in the United States, Jairazbhoy has focused his research on India's classical and folk music. Following the lecture, there will a live Thumri vocal recital featuring acclaimed Indian vocalist Purnima Chaudhuri, with Uttam Chakraborty on tabla, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.

The lecture and concert will be preceded at 3 p.m. by a screening of the classic 1958 Satyajit Ray film, Jalsaghar (The Music Room). An exhibition of Ray's storyboards, set and costume designs, posters, and graphic art will also be featured at an Opening Reception between 1 and 3 p.m. at the Eloise Pickard Smith Gallery at Cowell College. These events are free and open to the public.

"Higher Education: Key to U.S. Technology Leadership" will be the subject of UCSC Foundation Forum speaker Lee Ting at 4:15 p.m. on November 5 in Baskin Auditorium. The event will follow the dedication of the new Engineering 2 Building.

Ting is a managing director at W. R. Hambrecht & Co. and was vice president and managing director of Global Operations at Hewlett-Packard until his retirement in 1999.

The International Economics Conference, sponsored by the Santa Cruz Center for International Economics (SCCIE), will bring together international economists for the presentation of research papers and the lively exchange of ideas.

The keynote dinner address will be delivered October 15 by Guillermo Calvo, a Distinguished University Professor and the director of the Center for International Economics at the University of Maryland. (See story.)

A less academic celebration will take place during the Harvest Festival from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. October 9. The fall festival features live music, tasty food, and crafts for kids, as well as the ever-popular apple tasting and the third-annual Apple Pie Bake-Off. All events are at the UCSC Farm.

Input, assistance, and participation by all members of the campus community is welcome in the continued development of the anniversary celebration.

Ideas for additional anniversary events may be directed to Elizabeth Irwin, associate vice chancellor for communications, at (831) 459-5226.

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