The 12th annual work-in-progress seminars series will be inaugurated tomorrow, convened with a talk entitled 'Art's Pedagogical Polity' by John Baldacchino, professor of Art and Art Education at Columbia University Teachers College, New York. It will take place at Room 124 ,Mediterranean Institute at 6 p.m.
The seminar title refers to Prof. Baldacchino's new book project which deals not only with art's political forms and how they are taught, but rather, art's inherent pedagogy and its consequences for aesthetics, education and the politics of aesthetics.
The seminar series is convened by Paul Clough and Peter Mayo.
Literature and comparison research
The fourth edition of the annual literature and comparison research seminar series organised by the Faculty of Arts starts tomorrow with a talk on 'W. B. Yeats, Lady Gregory and the Cultural Appropriation of Renaissance Italy'. It will be delivered by Peter Vassallo from the Department of English in the Gateway Building hall E at 6 p.m.
Another seminar on 'Memories of Posthumanism in the Work of Jorge Luis Borges' will be delivered in the same hall by English department head Ivan Callus on March 30 at 6 p.m.
This year's seminar series will include talks by Giuseppe Mazzotta (Yale), Michael Herbert (St Andrews), Patricia Waugh (Durham), Francesco Marroni (Pescara) and writers Anne Enright, Don Paterson and Robin Robertson.
The co-conveners are the faculty's deputy dean Gloria Lauri-Lucente, and Prof. Callus. For more information e-mail charlene. calleja@um.edu.mt.
Origin of life
Prof. Nigel Mason will deliver a talk on 'The origin of life: an enigma wrapped in mystery' in lecture room 401, Physics Department, on Tuesday at 6 p.m. To register, e-mail michelle.spiteri@um.edu.mt.
A Celtic journey
Popular Irish and Celtic music will be performed at the Chaplaincy on Wednesday at 7.30 p.m. by a 45-strong choir and 15 musicians, all students in the University's Degreeplus Music programme. The concert will include songs by Enya, The Corrs and Celtic Woman, as well as traditional Irish folk tunes. The event is being organised in aid of the Ursuline Sisters Creche. For more information e-mail: music.degreeplus@um.edu.mt.
Weekend environmental seminar
A weekend seminar for students and youths on the environment's value from both society's and a scientific point of view will be held at Bay Street Hotel, Paceville, from Friday to Sunday, organised by the Science Students' Society (S Cubed) under the titled 'S Cubed Goes Green'.
Professionals on the subject will show how the environment can and must be protected and conserved for the sustainablility of the present and future generations. University-based organisation Greenhouse helped prepare the talks.
The seminar is free. For €60, participants may also stay at the hotel on full-board basis for the weekend and take part in the social events including a themed party. The fee is smartcard refundable and includes transport from University to the hotel.
S Cubed organises social and educational activities both for members and the public throughout the academic year. Membership is free.
For more information, view the society's website www.scubed.info or e-mail info@scubed.info or call 7930 9841, 7937 0523.
Creative thinking conferences
The first international conference on strategic innovation and future creation will be held at the Grand Hotel Exchelsior, Floriana, on March 23 and 24 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., organised by the Edward de Bono Instiutute for the Design and Development of Thinking.
Inventor of lateral thinking Edward de Bono will conduct the institute's 2009 Edward de Bono seminar at the Old University Building, Valletta, from March 25 to 27 from 9 a.m. to 12.30 p.m.
For details, call 2132 3981, 9984, 2422, e-mail instituteofthinking@um.edu.mt, or view the websites www.um.edu.mt/create, www.einnform.eu.
Lenten talks
The Chaplaincy is organising the Lenten reflections between March 23 and 27 at the University chapel. During this week, Mass will be held at 7.20 a.m. daily instead of at midday.
Fr Martin Cilia will lead the reflections for the University staff from 12.30 to 1.30 p.m., while Tonio Caruana will conduct the reflections for students between 7 and 9 p.m.