In Brief: November 11
Kids’ Tech U brings science to students
The Kids' Tech University (KTU) program is a popular annual event that puts real researchers in front of children to give exciting, interactive sessions.
BGSU has announced the lineup of topics and invited speakers for the program’s fourth season, beginning in February. Registration begins Wednesday (Nov. 12).
Kids’ Tech is designed to spark children’s interest in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics by introducing them to scientists who work in those fields, and providing hands-on activities that let kids explore scientific concepts.
The spring semester event is for students between the ages of 9 and 12 who live within a one-hour driving distance of BGSU. There is an $80 registration fee to participate; scholarships are available. All students will receive a lunch card and a KTU T-shirt. The program is held in the same campus lecture halls used by BGSU students.
The morning sessions feature a talk and extended question period with the invited speaker. Afternoon sessions will include a series of hands-on activities relevant to the session topic that the children can participate in with their parents.
Online registration will be limited to 150 children, and starts at 6 p.m. Nov. 12. Register online.
Program dates and topics are listed below.
On Feb. 7, Dr. Peg Yacobucci, a BGSU associate professor of geology, will lead an interactive session titled "How Do Fossils Reveal Our Planet’s Past, Present, and Future?"
On Feb. 14, Dr. Karen Lynn Snover-Clift, director of the Cornell University Plant Disease Diagnostic Clinic, associate director of Northeast Plant Diagnostic Network (NEPDN), and national quality manager of the network, will share "A Mighty Oak Tree Is Killed in the Forest; DNA Can Tell Us Who Did It."
On March 28, Dr. Andrew Torelli, a BGSU assistant professor of chemistry, will answer "What’s the Best Way to Grow Crystals?"
On April 11, Dr. John McDowell, a Virginia Tech professor of plant pathology, will discuss "Why Are the Foods that You Love the Most in Danger from Rusts, Blights, Molds and Mildews?"
Kids’ Tech at BGSU is directed by Dr. Paul Morris, a professor of biology, with assistance from Kathleen Booher and Jayne Roth, the 4H extension educators of Ottawa and Wood counties, respectively.
Lanford Wilson’s ‘Book of Days’ takes the stage
Small-town jealousies, religion, greed and lies roar like a tornado through a small Missouri town in Lanford Wilson’s “Book of Days,” onstage at BGSU Nov. 13-22.
Department of Theatre and Film faculty member Patrick Mike Konesko directs the play, with BGSU graduate Devon King ’13 as assistant director.
“Book of Days” received the American Theatre Critics Association New Play Award for 1998. The play was commissioned by actor Jeff Daniels and was first performed in Daniels’ Purple Rose Theater in nearby Chelsea, Mich.
The Detroit Free Press said, "Deep down, perhaps, ‘Book of Days’ is about frightened people: townspeople afraid to stand up and be counted, some with secrets, some cowed by old-time religion, some just numb. Wilson's Missouri village comes to look universal."
“The tornado in the play is really these people; the natural disaster is incidental,” Konesko said. King noted, “This play examines a person’s convictions, the strength needed to follow those, and what you stand to lose when you choose whether or not to stick to them.”
The relatable setting of the play is important to Konesko. “One of the things that drew me to this script is how recognizable and familiar these characters are. If you grew up or have lived in a small Midwestern town, these people and these problems have been a part of your life,” he said. “At the heart of this play is truth, conviction, power and small-town politics which range from the benign to the truly frightening.”
Parental guidance is suggested for young children.
“Book of Days opens at 8 p.m. on Nov. 13. Additional performances are at 8 p.m. on Nov. 14, 15, 20, 21 and 22, as well as 2 p.m. on Nov. 15, 16 and 22 in the Eva Marie Saint Theatre at the Wolfe Center for the Arts. All seats are $15 for adults and $5 for students and children. Ticket prices will increase at the door prior to each performance. To purchase tickets, visit The Arts or call the box office at 419-372-8171.
Updated: 12/02/2017 12:53AM