UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA DULUTH

Connect with Nature:
There are a number of programs coming up at the Boulder Lake Environmental Learning Center (BLELC) including an eight-week course, "Minnesota Master Naturalist Volunteer Training," with UMD alum and BLELC director, John Geissler. BLELC is part of the Center for Environmental Education at UMD whose mission is to achieve excellence in environmental education training, experience, and research.

Summer Arts Fest:
UMD's renowned School of Fine Arts begins its fourth annual Sieur Du Luth Summer Arts Festival. Kevin Kling's The Ice Fishing Play opens on June 30 on the mainstage at the Marshall Performing Arts Center. The favorite song 'n' dance musical, Footloose, which brings together young performers from UMD and Istanbul University State Conservatory, opens July 23. Chamber music and jazz concerts round out the schedule.

- Domestic Violence Effects Eased Through Art: Susan Meyers, a student in the Masters of Liberal Studies program, is leading unique summer workshops. She is helping domestic violence victims heal by creating art. "It's not easy to talk about abuse. These art sessions are a powerful way to break the silence," she said. The project goal is to help women identify feelings and issues through an art project, in order to move on and grow.

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- NRRI: Taconite Shipped to Chicago: Research from UMD's Natural Resources Research Institute (NRRI) indicates that taconite rock, found in abundance on the Iron Range, makes an extremely durable and high-performing aggregate in road construction. It's been used extensively in the northland. Recently 5,000 tons were sent by barge to Chicago to test its "shipability" and potential as a new, readily available product for other areas.

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- Lake Views: Take one of the 15 three-hour cruises on the L.L. Smith, Jr. research vessel. These educational boat tours along the Lake Superior coastline allow the community to discover why we need to keep Lake Superior and its streams clean and healthy. Participate in sampling Lake Superior's water and observing its critters and compare your data to other locations. The trips are popular, so sign up soon.

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- Influenza Safety: The University of Minnesota Duluth is committed to the safety and security of its students, faculty, and staff. To that end, the university continually updates a comprehensive website on Emergency Preparedness. See that website for current information regarding the 2009 H1N1 (Swine) Flu, basic infection prevention measures, and other pertinent messages.

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