New Lilly President Hails from Peru

Eli Lilly and Co.'s United States subsidiary has named Enrique Conterno president, replacing Deirdre Connelly, who resigned.

Conterno, who has been senior vice president of health care professional markets for Lilly in the U.S., is a native of Peru. Conterno has worked at Lilly since 1992.

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Legal Aid Center in Kenya

A legal aid organization has been established in Kenya thanks to the efforts of Judge Patricia Riley, Indiana Court of Appeals, and Fran Quigley, director of operations for the Indiana University partnership between the IU School of Medicine and Moi University in Eldoret, Kenya.

The Legal Aid Center of Eldoret (LACE) officially started in September 2008 with a small staff and initial funding from the Reuben Family Foundation and the Indianapolis Rotary Club. LACE is currently located in the hospital where the AMPATH program has IU physicians and medical students helping Kenyans living with HIV/AIDS.

Riley and Quigley, both of whom are alumni of the IU School of Law in Indianapolis, started LACE because many of the medical patients are in need of legal as well as medical help.

The law school plans to collaborate with LACE by offering a Kenyan lawyer or lawyers a full scholarship to attend the LL.M. program in Indianapolis on condition that they agree to work at least two years as a staff attorney at LACE, as well as to coordinate legal work assistance for LACE from volunteer LL.M. graduates and students while enrolled as an LL.M. student.

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Indy Students Reach out to Senegal

A group of fourth-grade students at Greenbriar Elementary in Indianapolis' Washington Township have collected clothes for children in Senegal, reports Gretchen Becker of The Indianapolis Star.

Students in Fatima Rich's class, calling themselves the Green Givers Group, collected clothing and cash to purchase more clothing. Their donation will be distributed in Dakar through the Wings for West Africa program based at North Central High School in Indianapolis.

Blasted Allegories

Dutch-born painter Henk Pander is the focus of the latest exhibition in the Christel DeHaan Fine Arts Center Gallery on the campus of the University of Indianapolis, 1400 East Hanna Avenue, Indianapolis.

"Blasted Allegories", which runs through 13 February, features 10 large-scale oil paintings by the Oregon-based artist. The exhibit is open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. weekdays.

Pander will attend a reception from 6 to 8 p.m. 2 February in the gallery. Admission is free. His 7 p.m. lecture is sponsored by Talbot Street Art Fair Inc.

For the past few decades, Pander’s work has thematically dealt with his life as an immigrant in terms of loss and memory of what was left in Europe, discovery of and learning about a new culture, and trying to find overlaps and connections between what was there and what is here. Through paintings that reflect personal experience, he gives form to events he has witnessed, where individual experience meets historical time. His work often focuses on the passage of time, entropy, and loss in an attempt to make visual sense out of contemporary dilemma.

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Valpo Celebrates International Connections

Valparaiso University, which set a record for international student enrollment during the fall semester, will celebrate the culture and traditional foods of its diverse student body during the 29th annual World Banquet on 7 February.

The banquet (formerly known as the International Dinner) begins at 5 p.m. in Harre Union. Tickets are $20 and must be purchased in advance from the University’s Office of International Programs. For details, go online or call 219:464-5333.

This year’s buffet-style dinner includes hummus; Baba Ghannouji; tabouleh; Greek Orzo salad; Thai iced coffee; Maraq Al-Bamiya; Chinese “Beggar’s Chicken”; baklava; “Noah’s Pudding,” and chocolate-dipped apricots. Recipes were submitted and selected by international students and will be prepared by Valparaiso’s Dining Services staff.

Following dinner, there's a talent show featuring some of the 245 international students from 55 countries attending Valparaiso, along with students from Valparaiso’s language clubs. Entertainment will include a fashion show displaying the ethnic dress of students’ homelands, musical performances, skits and dances.

The World Banquet is sponsored by the Office of International Programs and the Valparaiso International Student Association.

In 2008, Valparaiso was one of five institutions in the United States to win the Senator Paul Simon Award for Campus Internationalization and be cited as a model for other institutions of higher education is preparing students for a global economy and an interconnected world.

International students now make up more than seven percent of Valparaiso’s student body, and the University maintains Study Centers in China, England, Germany and Mexico and participates in 10 other study abroad programs which host approximately 200 students annually.

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5th IUPUI International Festival

The fifth International Festival at Indiana University-Purdue University in Indianapolis will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on 17 February in Taylor Hall, 815 West Michigan Street, Indianapolis.

More information is available online or from Cathie Carrigan, 317:274-2199.

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International Festivals & Events Association

The International Festivals & Events Association will come to Indianapolis for its 54th annual convention and exposition. The IFEA convention, the largest annual gathering of its type, will be 21-25 September 2009.

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Working Together for Peace and Justice

The annual Midwest Peace and Justice Summit: "Working Together for Peace and Justice" will be held from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. 5 April in the IT Building, Indiana University-Purdue University in Indianapolis, 535 West Michigan Street, Indianapolis.

Hosted by Student Advocates for Global Equality at IUPUI and sponsored by a number of organizations in the Indianapolis area, the summit is an opportunity for grassroots networks, community organizers and political activists from all across the Midwest to meet and find out more about each other in an effort to promote peace and justice. Activists, organizers, politically minded individuals and the community at large are invited to share their ideas about everything from volunteering to the electoral process.

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Year of the Ox Celebrated at Clowes in Indy

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Franklin Teachers, Students Head to Uganda

"Five teachers from Franklin Middle School left for Uganda on Thursday as part of a 15-day educational journey funded through a $25,000 grant from Lilly Endowment," reports The Indianapolis Star.

"While in Uganda, the teachers will tour the capital of Kampala, work at a Habitat for Humanity project, teach at a primary school, help at a clinic for HIV patients, take a three-day safari and travel to the source of the Nile River."

Franklin College students left for Uganda yesterday (17 January) on a trip arranged by Ambassadors for Children to study global poverty while participating in hands-on volunteer work in different areas of the country. They return 29 January.

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P. J. O'Rourke Speaks in Indy

"The Future of Freedom Agenda: Why the State of Global Democracy Matters to Americans" is the title of a presentation by P. J. O'Rourke.

Sponsored by the Economic Club of Indiana, the luncheon begins at noon Wednesday (21 January) in the Indiana Convention Center, 100 South Capitol Avenue, Indianapolis. Single tickets are $30 for nonmembers.

O’Rourke is a correspondent for The Atlantic and an H.L Mencken Research Fellow at the Cato Institute. He is the author of twelve books and four bestsellers: Parliament of Whores, Give War a Chance, All the Trouble in the World and On the Wealth of Nations.

O’Rourke is the former editor-in-chief of the National Lampoon and was a foreign correspondent for Rolling Stone magazine for 15 years. He is a widely published freelance journalist and regular on the NPR news quiz “Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me.” He also serves on the Board of Trustees at Freedom House.

Mayor's Celebration of Diversity

The 8th Annual City of Indianapolis Mayor's Celebration of Diversity Awards Luncheon takes place 22 January in the Marriott Hotel Downtown, 350 West Maryland Street, Indianapolis.

Doors open at 11 a.m. for registration, with the luncheon set for 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Single tickets are $35. For information, call 317:327-5262.

IUPUI's Spring "Study Abroad" Fair

Have you ever thought of taking college courses in another country? The Study Abroad Fair at Indiana University-Purdue University in Indianapolis offers a chance to learn about programs that send students all over the world.

It'll be held from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. 22 January on the first floor of the IUPUI Campus Center. for more information, contact the Study Abroad Office, 317:274-2081.

Global Supply Chains

"New Challenges in Managing the Global Supply Chain" is the topic for the Spring 2009 Global Supply Chain Management Conference, to be held 6 February in the North Ballroom of the Purdue Memorial Union in West Lafayette.

It's hosted by the Dauch Center for the Management of Manufacturing Enterprises and the Global Supply Chain Management Initiative of the Krannert School of Management at Purdue, and co-hosted by Purdue's Center for International Business Education and Research.

More information and registration are available online or by calling Va'Linda McBride. 765:494-4322.

Ye banks and braes of bonny Doon, How can ye bloom so fresh and fair...

Yes, it's that time of year again when Scots worldwide pay homage to their favorite bard, Robert Burns!

The 28th Annual Burns Supper sponsored by the Scottish American Club starts at 6 p.m. 31 January in Ritz Charles, Carmel. Tickets range from $15 to 55. For information, contact Marguerite Hendrie, 317:872-8179.

The evening starts with a complimentary whiskey tasting, cheese and fruit plate, and gourmet dinner followed by a traditional Burns Supper program and songs of Burns by Pat Grant. A lively ceilidh completes the evening with performances by the Indiana Caledonia Pipe Band, exhibition of Highland dancing, and Scottish Country dancing for all. There will be a special children's program during the formal speeches and a silent auction.

Burns penned "Auld Lang Syne" and is also responsible for "the best laid schemes o' mice and men", "my love is like a red red rose" and other familiar refrains.

To get in the mood, surf on over to some poetry sites and recite a bit of Rabbie Burns yourself!

$2 Million Contract to Saskatchewan Firm

Saskatoon-based International Road Dynamics Inc.was awarded a $2 million contract for a Quantity Purchase Agreement for Weigh-In-Motion and Virtual Weigh-In-Motion Systems, Service and Maintenance from the Indiana Department of Transportation.

Under this contract, IRD will be issued task orders to assess, deliver, install, commission, calibrate, and maintain WIM and VWIM equipment at numerous locations across Indiana. The systems to be provided under this contract will provide high accuracy traffic and load data to the DOT for planning, roadway design, and enforcement purposes.

"Great Decisions" Series Starts Next Month

The Great Decisions Lecture Series addresses eight current international issues important to the United States. The series includes a lecture followed by group discussion.

Participation in this Indy-based series, sponsored by the Indiana Council on World Affairs, is open to the public, with sessions scheduled for eight Tuesday evenings. They will be held in the Pharmacy Building, Butler University, Indianapolis. Registration begins at 7 p.m. with the program following at 7:30 p.m.

THE ARCTIC AGE - 3 February - Richard Fredland, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus, Political Science, Indiana University-Purdue University in Indianapolis

AFGHANISTAN AND PAKISTAN - 10 February - Milind Thakar, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of International Relations, University of Indianapolis

ENERGY & THE GLOBAL ECONOMY - 17 February - Jesse Kharbanda, Executive Director, Hoosier Environmental Council

THE U.S. AND RISING POWERS - 24 February - Pierre Atlas, Ph.D., Director of the Richard G. Lugar Franciscan Center for Global Studies, Marian College

EGYPT IN THE 21ST CENTURY - 3 March - Amira Mashhour, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, World Languages and Cultures, IUPUI

GLOBAL FOOD SUPPLY - 17 March - James Morris, Former Executive Director of the U.N. World Food Program

CUBA AFTER CASTRO - 24 March - Gaston Fernandez, Ph.D., Professor of Political Science, Indiana State University

UNIVERSAL HUMAN RIGHTS? - 31 March - Paul Hanson, Ph.D., Professor of History, Butler University

For further information on the local, contact Annette Johansson, 317:879-1338.

"Great Decisions" is a program of the Foreign Policy Association.

Spanish Music at IUPUI

Idilio performs at 7:30 p.m. 26 March in Room 152 of the Informatics and Communications Technology Complex at Indiana University-Purdue University in Indianapolis, 535 West Michigan Street, Indianapolis.

Guests from Las Guitarras de Espana, a Flamenco sextet, also will perform. Admission is $5 at the door.

For information, contact Michele Thompson.

Everything at New Indy Airport Must Be...Upbeat?

The controversy continues over changes made recently to an exhibit at the Indianapolis International Airport.

Someone (or, a few someones) objected to one of the panels in the “New Faces at the Crossroads” exhibit -- one in which an Israeli immigrant to Indy commented on an evidently taboo subject (violence).

So, the airport replaced it with another page from the book with text by John Sherman and interviews and photographs by Jeffrey A. Wolin, a photography professor at Indiana University in Bloomington.

Read the latest here, at least until The Star removes it from its website. And, there's more here and, here.

Year of the Ox Celebrated at Valpo

Valparaiso University will celebrate the Chinese New Year, the Year of the Ox, on 27 January with a dinner and musical performances as part of grand opening week events for the Harre Union.

The Chinese New Year Celebration begins at 6:30 p.m. in the Harre Union Ballroom on campus. Tickets are $15 for the general public (children under 6 are free of charge) and may be purchased at the Harre Union Welcome Desk, by calling (219) 464-5415 or online.

The menu includes Gongbao chicken, Chinese ribs, spicy tofu, traditional Chinese vegetable dishes, fruit and Chinese desserts.

The dinner program will feature a slide show of photographic highlights of the University’s interactions with China in 2008, skits written and performed by Valparaiso’s Chinese studies graduate students and Chinese music performed by students.

The Chinese New Year Celebration is co-sponsored by Valpo’s Chinese and Japanese Studies Program and Confucius Institute.

BASi Receives European Patent

West Lafayette-based BASi has received a patent in Europe for a new data collection system designed at its laboratory and office in the United Kingdom, reports Inside INdiana Business.

The patent for the Culex Automated In Vivo Sampling System is valid until 2019 and is effective in Germany, Denmark, France, UK and Sweden. BASi has its corporate headquarters at the Purdue Research Park and also has operations in Evansville.

"...just call me Bob"

”Hello My Name is Nadir Ratanaruengjumrune, But my Friends call me Bob” -- that's the topic for the first in a series of talks on Asian Pacific Americans.

It will be held from noon to 1 p.m. 23 January in the Asian Culture Center of Indiana University, 807 East 10th Street, Bloomington. A light lunch provided to participants.

Names affect lives: would a "Nadir" for example, live the same life that a "Bob" would? Participants will look at the increasing trend of Asian Americans who use their Westernized names over their "Asian" names. This talk will also discuss the different causes for these changes, ranging from the hilarious to the practical.

For more information, call 812:856-5361 or send an email.

"Tales of Now & Zen"

"Tales of Now & Zen" is a travel itinerary to places as strange and exotic as ancient China and the interior of one's own heart. Motoko (pictured) takes us on an excursion like no other, including such stories as "Japanese Culture 101: The Art of Blowing," a comical view on Japanese manners, "Cost of Racism" a funny yet heartfelt monologue about raising a son in the U.S. and "Boundless Strength," a wisdom tale about sumo wrestling.

The performance will begin at 7:30 p.m. Saturday (10 January) in the Indiana History Center, 450 East Ohio Street, Indianapolis. It's sponsored by Storytelling Arts of Indiana. Tickets are $15 in advance and $18 at the door. To purchase, go to the website or call 317:232-1882.

A Celebration of Inuit Artistry and Culture

"Our Land: A celebration of Inuit artistry and culture", continues through 15 February at the Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art.

This is the first exhibition of the Nunavut Territorial collection of contemporary Inuit art, and celebrates the growth of Inuit creative expression over the past five decades.

"Our Land" is a collaboration between the Peabody Essex Museum, the Government of Canada, and the Government of Nunavut. Sixty-four works demonstrate how long-held artistic traditions of the Inuit inspire contemporary sculptures, prints, fiber art, photography and digital media.

Historic Prophetstown Loses Funding

"Hopes for a center documenting the American Indian culture of Tippecanoe County and Indiana may fade because starting today, revenue from the state's Native American license plate will be redirected from Historic Prophetstown to the Indiana Native American Indian Affairs Commission," reports The Indianapolis Star

"The private park instead will receive a cut from the Tippecanoe County innkeeper tax," writes Eric Weddle.

"The change was seen as a way of steering more resources toward American Indian needs, although the commission currently is inactive," Weddle says. "The $50,000 it would receive annually will be held in a trust until members of state tribes agree to join."