Upcoming Events on the Twin Cities Campus

Thursday, Dec. 1 - The Logic and Legacy of American Punitiveness
This talk will highlight American exceptionalism based on new findings in literature, consistent with The Condemnation of Blackness. Khalil Gibran Muhammad, the event speaker, is a professor of history, race and public policy at Harvard Kennedy School and the Suzanne Young Murray Professor at the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study. The event begins at 3:30 p.m. in the Best Buy Theater, 4th Floor of Northrop, 84 Church St. S.E., Minneapolis.

Friday, Dec. 2 - Forestry Club Tree Sale
The tree lot has been the Forestry Club’s main fundraiser since 1949. All profits from the tree lot go toward student scholarships and fund club events, such as the annual banquet, the Midwestern Forester’s Conclave, educational trips, and participation in other forestry related events. The cost varies by tree. It will begin at 3 p.m. in the Les Bolstad Gold Course Parking Lot, 2275 Larpenteur Ave. W., St. Paul.

Friday, Dec. 2 - Star Pary with MIfA
Explore the sky with astronomers from the Bell and the Minnesota Institute for Astrophysics. Star Parties are very informal and family-friendly, and you can arrive and leave at any time. Each evening will start with a special science presentation by MIfA graduate students in the Bell Museum's Auditorium. After the talk, the party will continue with telescope observing in the courtyard. We provide the telescopes and will guide you through observations of the same celestial objects that have inspired sky-gazers throughout history. The event will begin at 8 p.m. in the Bell Museum Auditorium, 10 Church St. S.E., Minneapolis.

Saturday, Dec. 3 - Choral Concert: Sounds of the Season
The combined Campus Singers ensembles and University Men’s and Women’s Choruses are ringing in the holiday season with an eclectic program of seasonal choral music.

Conductors are Kathy Romey, Matthew Mehaffey, Ahmed Anzaldua, Katherine Chan and Amanda Weber. The free event will begin at 7:30 p.m. in the Ted Mann Concert Hall, 2128 Fourth Street S., Minneapolis.

Monday, Dec. 5 - Who Will Wear Will Best? Shakespeare Recitation Contest
Hear undergraduates battle to be the best reciter of Shakespeare's iambic pentameter. Students will prepare a 1-minute monologue from Shakespeare and recite it to our distinguished panel of judges. The finale of the Department of English's fall event series marking the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare's death. It will begin at 2:30 p.m. in Lind Hall 207A, 207 Church St. S.E., Minneapolis, and is free and open to the public.

Monday, Dec. 5 - Big Questions: How do we move beyond stigma in mental health?
The College of Liberal Arts presents Big Questions: How do we move beyond stigma in mental health? Audience members will have an opportunity to participate in a discussion moderated by MPR News Host, Tom Weber, that will be later broadcast on MPR. Please RSVP. The event will begin at 3 p.m. in the Best Buy Theater in Northrop.

Tuesday, Dec. 6 - How Patients Are Creating Medicine’s Future: From Citizen Science to Precision Medicine
The Internet and Big Data are transforming science. Fitness trackers and wearables are streamlining the gathering of health data, while the Precision Medicine Initiative seeks to harness these data together with genomics to create personalized medicine. Meanwhile, patient groups want an active role in the development of therapies and drugs. Four panelists will discuss these dynamics and the questions they raise about medical research, privacy, data ownership, and ethics. Box lunches available to registered participants. It will begin at 11:30 a.m. in the Coffman Union Theater, 300 Washington Ave. S.E., Minneapolis.

Wednesday, Dec. 7 - Our Parasites, Ourselves -- Unraveling the counterintuitive, complicated relationship between people, environment and policy
Eliminate a species of mosquito to fight Zika -- or don’t? Deworm captive animals -- or not? The choice is ours. Join evolutionary biologist, animal behaviorist and author of “Sex on Six Legs” and “Paleofantasy” Marlene Zuk, conservation biologist Kristen Nelson, and infectious disease expert Dominic Travis for an engaging, unpredictable conversation on these and other bio-conundrums. Live music and an interactive bio-themed game precede the program. The cost of this is event is $5. It will begin at 6 p.m. at Camp Bar, 490 N Robert St., St. Paul.

Thursday, Dec. 8 - 2016 Local Government Innovation Awards
Please join us to celebrate the 2016 Local Government Innovation Awards. The Local Government Innovation Awards (LGIA) recognize the creative ways counties, cities, townships and schools are making Minnesota better and doing things differently. This year celebrates the 10th annual LGIA, and we created a special 10th Anniversary Top Innovator Award to celebrate the occasion. RSVP is due by Thursday December 1. It will begin at 4 p.m. in the Cowles Auditorium - Humphrey School of Public Affairs, 301 19th Ave. South, Minneapolis.

Thursday, Dec. 8 - Dance Revolutions
Dance Revolutions unveils a thought-provoking, cutting edge program featuring works by Minneapolis based contemporary dance maker and Guggenheim Award-winner Rosy Simas, Marcus Jarell Willis of the Tania Pérez-Salas Compañía de Danza (formerly with the Alvin Ailey Dance Theatre), BESSIE Award winning Uruguayan choreographer Luciana Achugar and Guggenheim Award-winner Brian Brooks, director of Brian Brooks Moving Company. The cost of this event is $16 general admission and $6 students with a valid ID. It will begin at 7:30 p.m. in the Rarig Center, 330 21st Ave., Minneapolis.

Friday, Dec. 9 - Roadway Safety Institute Museum Exhibit Grand Opening
The Roadway Safety Institute at the University of Minnesota is celebrating the grand opening for its safety-themed exhibit for kids at The Works Museum. The exhibit, a permanent installation at the museum, uses a variety of hands-on activities to teach preteens about reflectivity and safety. This event will include a light lunch, a short program and tours of the exhibit. The event will begin at 11 a.m. at  The Works Museum, 9740 Grand Ave. S., Bloomington.

Friday, Dec. 9 - Bell Social: Art + Science
There will be a variety of activities to satisfy the curious creatures in all of us, from a mini-science cabaret on the Ethnopharmacology of Energy Drinks with Bell Museum curator George Weiblen to free planetarium shows in the ExploraDome Theater. The cost is $20 for general and $15 for members, UMN staff/students. It will begin at 7 p.m. in the Bell Museum

Saturday, Dec. 10 - Eat Design
Design and Food students collaborate with local chefs and food experts to explore basic design principles by engaging in hands-on, edible experimentation. The cost of this event is $25. It will begin at 7 p.m. in the McNeal Hall Atrium, 1985 Buford Ave., St. Paul.

Monday, Dec. 12 - An Evening with Tom Friedman: "Thank You for Being Late" Discussion and Book Signing
We have entered an age of dizzying acceleration in technology, economics, climate, and more. In his newest book, Tom Friedman returns to his Minnesota childhood, a world where politics worked and joining the middle class was an achievable goal. With vision and wit, Friedman offers a blueprint for how to think about our times. Please RSVP. The free event will begin at 7 p.m. in the Coffman Theater, Coffman Memorial Union, 300 Washington Ave. S.E., Minneapolis.

Tuesday, Dec. 13 - Wind Ensemble Concert: "Currents"
A concert featuring a new work by composer-in-residence Steven Bryant and U of M School of Music faculty Preston Duncan, saxophone. Professor Emily Threinen, conductor. It will begin at 7:30 p.m. in the Ted Mann Concert Hall, and is free and open to the public.

Wednesday, Dec. 14 - Altar Call: American Religion in Presidential Politics
The United States may be a nation without an official religion, but religion has played a major role in presidential elections, particularly in the past century.In the aftermath of the tumultuous and divisive 2016 election, University of Minnesota English and Journalism Professor Samuel G. Freedman will guide us through this fascinating and contested terrain. Cost is free, but please RSVP. It will begin at 4:30 p.m. in Murphy Hall, room 100, 206 Church St. S.E., Minneapolis.

Friday, Dec. 16 - Tea & Scone Diorama Tour
Visit the Minnesota’s treasured dioramas one last time before the Minneapolis location closes on December 31, 2016, in preparation for our move to the St. Paul campus. Tea, scones, and other refreshments will be on hand as you gain a fresh perspective on the dioramas from expert University of Minnesota interpreters. The cost of this event is General admission and free for members and UMN students/staff. It will begin at 2 p.m. in the Bell Museum.

Friday, Dec. 16 - Star Party with MIfA
Explore the sky with astronomers from the Bell and the Minnesota Institute for Astrophysics. Star Parties are very informal and family-friendly, and you can arrive and leave at any time. Each evening will start with a special science presentation by MIfA graduate students in the Bell Museum's Auditorium. After the talk, the party will continue with telescope observing in the courtyard. We provide the telescopes and will guide you through observations of the same celestial objects that have inspired sky-gazers throughout history. It will begin at 8 p.m. in the Bell Museum.