WHAT: The university community is invited to a reception to honor Thompson for his achievement.

WHEN: 4:30 p.m. today.

WHERE: Keene Faculty Center, Dauer Hall.

BACKGROUND: Thompson was notified this morning by the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters that he and Jacques Tits, a professor at the Coll?ge de France, won the Abel Prize for 2008 for their achievements in shaping modern group theory. They will share a $1.2 million prize.

CONTACT: Krishna Alladi, chairman, department of mathematics, 352-514-6526, alladi@math.ufl.edu

WHO: Speakers will include Bernie Machen, UF president; Win Phillips, UF vice president for research; and David Day and Jane Muir from the UF Office of Technology Licensing.

WHEN/WHERE: 8:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. March 25, Hilton University of Florida Conference Center.

FOR MORE INFORMATION AND COMPLETE LIST OF PARTICIPANTS: http://conferences.dce.ufl.edu/techshowcase

CONTACT: Chris Brown, meeting coordinator, 352-846-1840, cbrown11@ufl.edu

“The leaders of the movement want to demonstrate a stronger intensity of opposition to the war and they believe that getting arrested signals a greater commitment than simply showing up for a march,” said Michael Heaney, a UF political science professor who has studied the anti-war movement since its inception.

The strategy of staging mass rallies has not worked as well as protest leaders had hoped, Heaney said. Hundreds of thousands of people have marched on Washington, D.C., in opposition to the war, yet Congress continues to fully fund President Bush’s war requests, he said.

On March 19 in Washington, D.C., a much smaller group of protesters is expected to perform such civil disobedience acts as surrounding buildings and blocking intersections, said Heaney, who will conduct studies of the demonstrations.

As a result, anti-war leaders have scheduled their main protest for March 19, the anniversary of the actual date the war began, rather than on the closest Saturday, as they have in the past four years to attract larger numbers of working people who otherwise would have been unable to attend, Heaney said.

Heaney and Fabio Rojas, a sociology professor at Indiana University, surveyed 288 leaders and 2,087 participants of the country’s four largest anti-war rallies in 2007, three in Washington, D.C., and the fourth being a coordinated event in New York, San Francisco and Chicago. They finished their analysis this week, finding that participants were overwhelmingly white, nearly equally divided between men and women and rarely between the ages of 30 and 50.

While there has been discussion in the media of fewer minorities participating in peace group activities, the new survey results actually document the low numbers, Heaney said. Eighty percent of the rally participants were white, compared with nearly 7 percent African-American, 5 percent Hispanic and 3 percent Asian Americans. The remaining percentage did not fall into any single racial category.

There was nearly a perfect gender balance, with 51 percent females and 49 percent males, Heaney said. “That was a surprise to us since women’s groups historically have emphasized that peace is a women’s issue,” he said.

Although the average age of the participants was 41, there were actually few people around this age, Heaney said. There was a clump of people in their late teens and early 20s and another clump of people in their 50s and 60s, he said.

“This movement is both a movement of young people of a new generation involved in anti-war activity for the first time and one of a group reliving the Vietnam anti-war protests of the past,” Heaney said. Twenty-seven percent of the participants and 48 percent of the leaders said they had demonstrated against the war in Vietnam, he said.

In all, 74 percent of the people surveyed had previously participated in anti-war rallies and 26 percent reported attending their first anti-war rally, he said.

Fifty-two percent of the participants said they traveled more than 100 miles to the protest, with the average distance being 460 miles, Heaney said. “This strikes us as a fairly large commitment on the part of these people when you consider they are traveling an average distance of 460 miles one way to attend one of these events,” he said.

Michael Heaney is available for interviews about the anti-war movement and the fifth anniversary of the war in Iraq. He can be reached by telephone at 202-236-3369 or by e-mail at mtheaney@ufl.edu.

“Being a woman affects all aspects of her campaign from her policy positions, to her fundraising, to the clothes she wears,” said Lynn Leverty, University of Florida political science professor and associate director of the Askew Institute on Politics and Society.

Like other women seeking public office, Clinton has had to wrestle with common assumptions about female politicians, Leverty said.

“Female candidates are perceived by the public as having expertise in issues such as education, social services and health care, but as being weaker on national security, infrastructure and some aspects of the economy,” she said. “Since the president is commander-in-chief, this put a woman running for president at some disadvantage.”

Women also have to deal with the fact that press coverage often trivializes their candidacy, Leverty said.

“When there are stories about Hillary’s hair, clothes or laugh, this takes attention away from her policies and message,” she said.

Even if Clinton is unsuccessful in her campaign, Leverty said there are other women who could make a legitimate run for the presidency in the near future. The next female candidate would most likely be one of the eight women who are state governors or one of the 16 female U.S. senators.

“The fact that Clinton has made a credible run this year will help the next woman,” she said.

The state of overall female representation in American government has greatly improved, and for the most part, women are well-represented at the local and state levels, Leverty said. Obtaining a seat in the U.S. Congress is more of a problem for women because of the extremely high percentage of incumbents that win re-election.

“The fact that there are more groups helping train women to run for office, more groups helping with fundraising in both parties and a wide number of professions that can lead to elected office is helping more women run for higher offices,” Leverty said. “In most cases, when women run for public office, they can win.”

Lynn Leverty is available for interviews about Hillary Rodham Clinton’s presidential campaign and about women in politics. She can be reached by telephone at 352-273-2392 or by e-mail at lleverty@aa.ufl.edu.

WHAT: A celebration of “Read Across America” to promote reading to children and to encourage families to read to their children at home. The children, who range in age from 6 weeks to 5 years old, will be read to each day. Machen will read at 9 a.m. Friday.

WHEN: Reading times are available every half hour from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 3 to 5 p.m. each day this week.

DAILY THEMES:
Monday — Hat Day (children invited to wear a hat of their choice) Tuesday — Backwards Day (children invited to wear their clothing backwards or inside out) Wednesday — Silly Socks Day (children invited to wear socks of their choice) Thursday — Green Day (children invited to dress in green) Friday — Pajama Day (children invited to wear their pajamas to school for the day)

CONTACT: Lisa Roberts, associate director, 352-392-2330, lroberts@ufl.edu

WHO: Speakers will include J. Glenn Morris, director of EPI; Bernie Machen, UF president; Carolyn Roberts, chairwoman, Florida Board of Governors; Win Phillips, UF vice president for research; and Dr. Ana Viamonte-Ros, Florida’s surgeon general.

WHEN: 3:30 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 27

WHERE: Near the southeast corner of the Cancer/Genetics Research Building, Mowry Road and Lemerand Drive. Parking will be available in the campus lot on the northwest corner of Mowry Road and Lemerand Drive.

NOTE TO BROADCAST MEDIA: Mult box will be available.

CONTACT: Joseph M. Kays, director of research communications, 352-392-8229, joekays@ufl.edu.

Terry McCoy is a professor emeritus of Latin American studies and political science and director of the Latin American Business Environment Program. As a specialist in the political economy of Latin America and U.S.-Latin American relations, McCoy has taught, conducted research and consulted throughout the hemisphere. He can be reached at 352-392-0375, ext. 808, tlmccoy@latam.ufl.edu.

William A. Messina Jr. is an agricultural economist with the Food and Resource Economics Department in UF’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS). He is the founding co-director of the department’s comprehensive research initiative on Cuba’s agricultural sector, which continues to be conducted in collaboration with a team of researchers at the University of Havana, Cuba. He can be reached at 352-392-1826, ext. 308, wamess@ufl.edu.

Carmen Diana Deere is director of the Center for Latin American Studies at UF and professor of food and resource economics. Her geographic expertise includes Cuba, and her research interests include gender, land policy and agricultural development. She can be reached at 352-392-0375, ext. 801, deere@ufl.edu.

WHEN:
11 a.m. Feb. 9

WHERE:
Pugh Hall, Buckman Drive between Dauer and Newell halls, University of Florida campus.

PARKING INFORMATION:
Parking should be plentiful. For a campus parking map go to http://www.parking.ufl.edu/.

BACKGROUND:
Pugh Hall, a 40,000-square foot facility, includes a teaching auditorium and public space for lectures and events. It is home to the Department of African and Asian Languages and Literatures, the Bob Graham Center for Public Service and the Samuel Proctor Oral History Program.

Jim Pugh received a bachelor’s degree in building construction from UF in 1963 and owns Epoch Properties, an Orlando-based company that builds hotels, timeshares and rental housing across the U.S. He is also chairman of Epoch Management, a comprehensive real estate management firm. Alexis Pugh owns Lakeshore Advertising Consultants in Orlando, which designs and produces collateral materials for clients in the multi-family housing industry.

POTENTIAL SOURCES:
Attendees will include the Pughs; retired U.S. Sen. and former Florida Gov. Bob Graham; UF President Bernie Machen; Joe Glover, interim dean of the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences Joe Glover; Jim Mueller, associate dean for administrative affairs; Ann Wehmeyer, chairwoman of African and Asian Languages and Literatures; Paul Ortiz, director of the Proctor Oral History Program Paul Ortiz; and Tony Rosenbaum, interim director of the Graham Center for Public Service.

CONTACT:
For more information, contact Buffy Lockette in the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences at 352-846-2032 or editor@clas.ufl.edu.

WHO:
J. Bernard Machen, UF president
William S. Dalton, CEO Moffitt Cancer Center
Bruce C. Kone, Dean UF College of Medicine
Timothy M. Goldfarb, CEO Shands HealthCare

WHERE:
The atrium of the UF Cancer & Genetics Research Complex, 1376 Mowry Road, Gainesville, Fla.

WHEN: 2:30 p.m. today (Wednesday, Jan. 23). Media may arrive at 2 p.m. to set up.

DIRECTIONS:
From Ocala/Tampa via Interstate 75: Take Archer/Gainesville Exit 384 and turn right onto Archer Road. Proceed approximately 2.9 miles to Gale Lemerand (formerly North-South) Drive. Turn left and stay in the left lane. At your left will be the Cancer-Genetics Research Complex. Turn left at the intersection of Lemerand and Mowry. Park in the lot at right.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Tom Fortner, UF Health Science Center News & Communications
352-273-5810
 
Kim Jamerson, Shands HealthCare
352-265-0373
 
Patty Kim, Moffitt Cancer Center
813-745-7322

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Candidates seeking the Democratic presidential nomination will start to show up in Florida before the state’s Jan. 29 primary, despite being told by national party leaders not to campaign here, a University of Florida professor predicts.

“I expect we will begin seeing the candidates in Florida quite soon,” said political science professor Daniel A. Smith, who will be available for comment the evening of the primary.

The Democratic National Committee told the candidates to avoid the state because the Legislature moved up the presidential primary election date to a week before Super Tuesday Feb. 5. But the race between Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama has become tighter.

“This is Hillary’s to lose, and Florida is her firewall,” Smith said. Floridians might also see John Edwards, who is trailing the top two.

Florida is even more important to GOP contender Rudy Giuliani.

“For Rudy, it’s the make or break state because he’s basically foregone all the other early primaries,” Smith said. “It’s even more crucial that he does well.”

Smith is available for interviews about the Florida primary and the presidential race by calling 352-273-2346. His e-mail address is dasmith@polisci.ufl.edu.

Also available for comment are UF political science professors:

Rich Conley, 352-273-2385, 352-317-1860 (cell), rconley@polisci.ufl.edu.

Michael Martinez, 352-273-2363, martinez@ufl.edu.

For perspective on the economy’s impact on the election, UF economist Chris McCarty is available for media interviews. McCarty is director of UF’s Survey Research Center at the Bureau of Economic and Business Research. His office number is 352-392-2908, ext. 101, or 352-359-0974 (cell). His e-mail address is ufchris@ufl.edu.

• Air-cooled shoulder pads — Temperature Management System air-cooled shoulder pads use chilled water to cool players while on the sidelines. Developed by Dr. Nik Gravenstein, a UF professor and chairman of anesthesiology, the shoulder pads are used by UF players and many NFL and college teams. The technology is being translated into systems to help firefighters and soldiers stay cool. For more information, visit http://news.ufl.edu/2006/12/20/research-report-32/.
• Robotic car — NaviGator, a self-driving vehicle created by the UF College of Engineering’s Center for Intelligent Machines and Robotics, competed in the 2007 Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, or DARPA, Urban Challenge. The car has been completely redesigned since the model used in the 2005 DARPA race across the Mojave Desert. For information on the 2007 race, visit http://cimar.mae.ufl.edu/gatornation/pages/UrbanChallengeNI_web.pdf.
• Model of the world’s largest telescope — The UF Department of Astronomy has partnered with Spain and Mexico to build and operate the world’s largest telescope, located in La Palma, Canary Islands. Referred to as Gran Telescopio Canarias, or “Great Telescope Canary Islands,” the 10.4-meter mirror telescope will offer an unprecedented view of the heavens. UF is the only U.S. partner on the project. For more information, visit http://www.gtc.iac.es/home.html or contact Steve Eikenberry, eiken@ufl.edu, 352-392-2052.
• Gatorade — Possibly UF’s best-known research, Gatorade Thirst Quencher sports drink was invented at UF in the mid-1960s for the Gators football team (yes, that’s how it got the name). Inventor Dr. Robert Cade died in Gainesville on Nov. 27 at the age of 80. For more information, visit http://news.ufl.edu/2007/11/27/gatorade-inventor-dies/ or http://news.ufl.edu/2007/11/27/gatorade-creator-dr-robert-cade-dies-tuesday-at-age-80/.
• Alligator research — (A live alligator provided by SeaWorld will be on display ONLY at the Jan. 1 Gator Jamboree at FanFest adjacent to the stadium, 10 to 11 a.m.) UF is a leader in alligator research, including the work of distinguished zoology professor Lou Guillette and his associates. Guillette is internationally recognized for his research examining environmental contaminants and reproductive/endocrine disruption in various wildlife species, and policy work in human public health. He has served as an expert witness to the U.S. Congress and as a science policy adviser to various governmental agencies regarding environmental contamination and health. His recent work examines the effect of pollutants on the development of the ovary and testis in wildlife, especially alligators in Lake Apopka, near Orlando. For more information, visit http://www.ufl.edu/spotlight/guillette.html.

The schedule for the mobile showcase is as follows:
Sunday, Dec. 30
2:30 - 4:30 p.m. – J.W. Marriott Grande Lakes, 4040 Central Florida Parkway, Valencia Terrace. (Rain location: Convention Porte-Cochere.)

Monday, Dec. 31
10:30 a.m. - 2 p.m. – J.W. Marriott Grande Lakes, 4040 Central Florida Parkway, Valencia Terrace. (Rain location: Convention Porte-Cochere.)

Tuesday, Jan. 1
9:30 - 11:30 a.m. – FanFest Jamboree adjacent to the stadium.

CONTACTS:
Susan Stewart, 352-846-3903 (w), 614-975-0063 (mobile), stewarts@ufl.edu
Janine Sikes, 352-846-3903 (w), 352-745-1346 (mobile), jysikes@ufl.edu

The survey is conducted monthly by the University of Florida’s Survey Research Center at the Bureau of Economic and Business Research and usually issued the fourth Tuesday of every month. Because of the holiday, the survey and its results will be posted and released earlier.

Consumer confidence is designed to help predict buying patterns by measuring the mood of consumers toward purchasing. Although other economic indicators also predict buying patterns, consumer confidence tends to be available sooner.

Respondents are 18 or older and live in households telephoned randomly.

Editors with questions should call News Desk Editor Ron Wayne in UF’s News Bureau at 352-392-0186 or e-mail him at rwayne@ufl.edu.

WHO: UF President Bernie Machen, UF men’s basketball coach Billy Donovan, UF athletic director Jeremy Foley, Sally Dahlem, City Commissioner Jeanna Mastrodicasa, and Gainesville Chief of Police Norman Botsford are expected to speak. The ceremony is open to the public, and everyone who assisted or was present the night of the incident is especially encouraged to attend.

WHEN: 4 p.m. Dec. 7.

WHERE: The Murphree Hall parking lot at the corner of Buckman Drive and West University Avenue.

CONTACT: Gainesville Police Department Sgt. Art Adkins, 352-393-7517.

WHERE: Florida Press Center, 336 E. College Ave., Tallahassee.

WHEN: 11 a.m. Wednesday.

WHO: Mark Rosenberg, chancellor of the State University System; T.K Wetherell, Florida State University president; Janie Fouke, University of Florida provost; and representatives from the funding organizations.

CONTACT: Browning Brooks, director of FSU News and Public Affairs, 850-644-4030, bbrooks@mailer.fsu.edu; and Steve Orlando, director of UF News Bureau, 352-392-0186, sfo@ufl.edu.

See release.

Who:

* Donald Novak, M.D., vice chairman for clinical affairs of the department of pediatrics and medical director of the UF Pediatric Clinics

* Richard Bucciarelli, M.D., professor and interim chairman of the department of pediatrics

* Alan Knudsen, R.Ph., Director of Pharmacy Services, Shands at the University of Florida

* Jane Schumaker, M.A., senior associate dean and CEO for UF’s Faculty Group Practice

Where: Room G-101 at the Health Professions/Nursing/Pharmacy complex at 101 S. Newell Drive, Gainesville.

When: 4 p.m. today (Thursday, Oct. 25). Media may begin arriving at 3:30 p.m. to set up.

Contact: For more information or directions, contact Health Science Center News & Communications at 352-273-5810.