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A memorial event for Kevin Engle, a research programmer and ground station manager at UAF's Geographic Information Network of Alaska who died unexpectedly Jan. 27, will take place Saturday, Feb. 19, from 2 – 5 p.m. at Big Daddy's BBQ banquet hall at the corner of First and Wickersham streets. Remembrances to be shared in celebration of Kevin's life can be sent to remembering.kevin@gina.alaska.edu or posted on the memorial website.

UA is conducting an eligibility audit of employees' dependents who are using the UA health plan. ConSova, the company conducting the audit, is distributing questionnaires listing current dependent information and the documentation needed to verify eligibility. Employees need to respond to the audit by Feb. 28 because UA will terminate coverage for non-verified dependents after that date. For more information visit the audit website or call ConSova at 1-866-430-1267.

Watch for a new look for the Cornerstone! Starting next week, UAF's faculty/staff newsletter is upgrading to a new format to better serve UAF faculty and staff. The Cornerstone will still be online but the weekly e-mail will link to the website, where all the information you're used to will be published in a new, easier to navigate layout. For more information e-mail fystone@uaf.edu.

UAF has expanded recycling options to include plastics, glass, aluminum and e-waste (electronic products such as computers). Clean Styrofoam containers and egg cartons can also be recycled. Aerosol cans are not currently accepted. Familiarize yourself with the new guidelines. For more information contact the Office of Sustainability 474-6037.

The Arctic Region Supercomputing Center has been reconfigured to ensure its ongoing viability and capability to meet the large-scale computational and storage needs of UAF researchers. An announcement of those named for continuing positions at ARSC effective June 2011 and updates of the newly deployed Pacman supercomputing cluster and the new, petabyte-scale archival storage system, Big Dipper, is available on the ARSC website.

Bert Boyer, director of the Institute of Arctic Biology Center for Alaska Native Health Research and professor of molecular biology, has been appointed associate director of human health for the IAB, effective Jan. 1. Boyer has been with UAF since 1992.

UAF Mobile, UAF's free iPhone app, is available for download. UAF Mobile includes a campus and buildings map, news, directory search, shuttle tracker, ski trail maps, a course search feature and more.

Rural Student Services was spotlighted in the "Passing tests of time" article in the December/January edition of First Alaskans magazine.

The UA Health in Action WIN for Alaska Get the Point Incentive Program began Feb. 1. The program's goal is to help you incorporate healthy habits into your lifestyle.

The UA College Savings Plan is hosting a contest for participants in the Permanent Fund Dividend college savings plan. If you click "yes" on line 6 of the PFD application to contribute to the plan you will automatically be entered in the drawing. The prizes are one $25,000 and four $2,500 scholarship accounts.

Weight Watchers at Work begins a new 17-week series Tuesday, Feb. 22, at noon in the Administrative Services Center conference room. For more information contact Michelle Littell at mlittell2@alaska.edu.

Call Facilities Services at 474-7000 to report slick walkways or other hazards that might cause someone to slip, trip or fall.

Alaska Sea Grant is hosting the 27th Lowell Wakefield Fisheries Symposium, Fishing People of the North: Cultures, Economies and Management Responding to Change, Sept. 14 – 17 in Anchorage. The abstracts deadline is Monday, April 4.

The 2011 Science for Alaska Lecture Series takes place Tuesdays at 7 p.m. in the Westmark Gold Room through Feb. 22. Pre-lecture hands-on activities for all ages begin at 6 p.m. before each session. "Lessons Learned From the Gulf Oil Spill" by Fran Ulmer, chancellor of UAA, takes place Feb. 8 and "Survivor Kasatochi: Insects After the Volcanic Eruption" by Derek Sikes, UA Museum of the North, takes place Feb. 15.

The Snedden Guest Lecture Series presents a free public lecture, "The Cost of Conflict: A Personal Journey," by Cheryl Hatch Tuesday, Feb. 8, at 7 p.m. in Schaible Auditorium.

Dancing with the Cars, a fundraising gala hosted by Chancellor Rogers and Sherry Modrow, takes place Friday, Feb. 11, from 7 – 11 p.m. Doors at the Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum open at 6:30 p.m. The gala will feature fine food, antique autos, a live auction, and music by Theresa Bauer and Friends; dress is semiformal. Tickets are $100, which includes a $25 tax-deductible donation. Proceeds benefit the UAF Giving Green Sustainability Initiatives Fund and the Fairbanks Community Food Bank. For more information call 474-2600 or e-mail hleavengood@alaska.edu.

The Cold Climate Housing Research Center is hosting a firewood cutting workshop and chili feed (PDF) Saturday, Feb. 12, from 10 a.m. – noon. The agenda includes information on wood stove maintenance, how to dry wood, properties of firewood species, chainsaw safety, cutting trees near power lines, where to find firewood and how to get a wood cutting permit. Cornbread and chili will be available for $5 per person; money collected will purchase Arbor Day plantings for local Habitat for Humanity homes, send Society of American Foresters student members to state and national conferences, and support other charitable events.

The UAF Yoga Club presents a Hearts for Haiti fundraiser Saturday, Feb. 12, from 2 – 5 p.m. at the University Park gym. Local yoga teachers will take turns leading the class. Admission is $30. All proceeds will benefit Ananda Marga Universal Relief Team Haiti. For more information e-mail ntarnai@alaska.edu.

The UAF Alumni Association's ninth annual Wine Tasting and Silent Auction takes place Saturday, Feb. 12, at 6 p.m. in the Wood Center Pub. Tickets are $30 in advance, available at the Alumni Office, Wood Center front desk and the Pub, or $35 at the door. Must be 21 to attend. For more information call 474-7081.

The Associated Students of Business will host a spring semester icebreaker Saturday, Feb. 12, from 7 p.m. to midnight at Wedgewood Resort. The event will provide networking opportunities among business students, faculty and local business professionals. The event is free to UAF students and $25 to all others. For more information or to purchase tickets e-mail asbuaf@gmail.com.

The Great Cover Up, an annual fundraiser for the Literacy Council of Alaska sponsored by the Associated Students of UAF Concert Board and featuring six local bands, takes place Saturday, Feb. 12, at 7 p.m. in the Wood Center Carol Brown Ballroom. Admission is $5. For more information contact Cody Rogers at 474-6026 or cody.rogers@alaska.edu.

The Midnight Sun Writers Series presents Jeanne E. Clark reading from her original poems Friday, Feb. 18, at 7 p.m. in the UA Museum of the North auditorium.

A Night in Africa: Celebrating the Motherland presents storytelling, poetry dramatization, traditional dances and ethnic food Friday, Feb. 18, at 7:30 p.m. in Davis Concert Hall. Admission is free and the event is open to the public. The event is sponsored by the Office of Multicultural Affairs, Office of Equal Employment Opportunity, the National Weather Service and the African Student Association.

A Chinese New Year celebration will be held Sunday, Feb. 20, at 4:30 p.m. at Pioneer Park Civic Center, with a buffet dinner and performances. Tickets in advance are $15 for adults and $8 for children 5 – 12 years old, or $18 for adults and $10 for children 5 – 12 years old at the door. For more information contact Rosalind Kan at 474-0928 or rjkan@alaska.edu, or Mingchu Zhang at 474-7004 or mzhang3@alaska.edu.

The spring 2011 Study Abroad Fair takes place Wednesday – Thursday, Feb. 23 – 24, from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. in Wood Center. Find out about international exchange, study abroad and international internship opportunities. Applications for these programs are due March 1. For more information contact Erica Keiko Iseri at the Office of International Programs at 474-7192 or ekiseri@alaska.edu.

The fifth annual Foreign Languages International Fiesta takes place Wednesday, Feb. 23, from 5 – 7 p.m. in the Wood Center Carol Brown Ballroom. Bring your favorite international dish to share at the potluck and enjoy food and music from around the world. For more information contact Michelle Strickland at the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures at 474-7396 or faforei@uaf.edu.

Representatives of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Goddard Space Flight Center of Greenbelt, Md., will visit UAF Wednesday – Thursday, March 2 – 3. Meet NASA representatives at the Career Services Career Expo Wednesday, March 2, from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. in Wood Center. There will be two information sessions Thursday, March 3 in the Brooks Building Gathering Room; session one is 10 a.m. – noon and session two for UAF students only, with a reception hosted by the Geophysical Institute Alaska Satellite Facility, is from 5 – 7 p.m. For more information contact Career Services at 474-7596.

The Alaska Rural Behavior Health Training Academy presents the sixth annual Lilly Arctic Institute: Celebrating the Learning Community and Community of Learners Thursday – Saturday, March 3 – 5, at the Fairbanks Princess Riverside Lodge. Registration is available online.

The Student Activities Office is hosting DIY: an Arts and Crafts Convention Saturday, April 16, in Wood Center. If you are interested in hosting a workshop or a booth contact the Student Activities Office at 474-6029 or fysao@uaf.edu.

Check out the UAF Weekly Science Calendar, sponsored by the Center for Global Change and Arctic System Research, for science-related events at UAF.

Visit UAF's online calendar for information on UAF events or to publicize an event.

Dan Jordon, Nanook rifle coach, and Gwen Holdman, director of the Alaska Center for Energy and Power, were both named to the Alaska Journal of Commerce 2011 Top 40 Under 40 list.

Janet Schichnes, Department of Psychology, received a 2011 Certificate of Merit from Region 8 of the National Academic Advising Association.

Beth Trowbridge, program director at the Center for Alaska Coastal Studies, was awarded the 2011 Ocean Literacy award by the Alaska Center for Ocean Science Education Excellence. The School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, Alaska Sea Grant, and the Center for Cross-cultural Studies are among the founders and members of Alaska COSEE.

Nanook men's basketball faces off with Simon Fraser Thursday, Feb. 10, at 7:30 p.m. and Western Washington Saturday, Feb. 12, at 5:15 p.m. in the Patty Center gym.

Nanook women's basketball takes on Western Oregon Thursday, Feb. 10, at 5:15 p.m. and Saint Martin's Saturday, Feb. 12, at 7:30 p.m. in the Patty Center gym.

The Nanooks are hosting a night of feasting on seawolf Saturday, Feb. 26, for game two of the Governor's Cup hockey tournament against UAA. Come out and enjoy seawolf (Atlantic wolf fish) tacos and watch the game broadcast live from Anchorage on an oversized projection screen in the Patty Center. The taco feast begins at 6:15 p.m., admission is $20 for adults and $10 for children under 12, and includes tacos, soft drinks and watching the game. Those not wanting to feast can join the party at 7:05 p.m. to watch the game, admission is $5. Tickets are available at any Alaska Nanooks home game or by calling 474-7081.

The Alaska Nanook athletic event scores from last week are: Home games – hockey vs. Ferris State, 1-2 and 2-3. Away games – women's basketball vs. Northwest Nazarene, 58-70 and vs. Central Washington, 73-85; men's basketball vs. Montana State Billings, 70-68 and vs. Seattle Pacific, 74-87.

Feb. 9: Student interest forms for the Job Shadow program, sponsored by Career Services and the UAF Alumni Association, are due. Half-day job shadowing will occur Tuesday – Saturday, March 8 – 12. For more information call 474-7596.

Feb. 11: Proposals for the Global Change Student Research Grant Competition are due. Guidelines are available online; please review them carefully as they have changed significantly from the 2010 guidelines. For more information contact Susan Sugai at 474-5415 or susan.sugai@alaska.edu.

Feb. 11: Emeriti nominations are due to the UAF Provost's Office. Guidelines and more information are available at the Provost's Office website.

Feb. 15: Applications for the National Student Exchange for the 2011 – 2012 academic year are due. For more information contact Megan Allen at 474-5809 or uaf.nse@alaska.edu.

Feb. 15: Student deadline to apply for spring 2011 graduation. For more information contact the Office of Admissions and the Registrar at 474-7500 or graduation@uaf.edu.

Feb. 15: Nominations for the Marion Frances Boswell Memorial Award, the Joel Wiegert Award and the Gray Tilly Memorial Award are due. For more information contact Lydia Anderson at 474-7037 or lmanderson@alaska.edu.

Feb. 15: Applications for UAF privately funded scholarships are due. For more information contact scholarships@uaf.edu.

Feb. 15: Nominations for the Chancellor's Cornerstone Award to recognize UAF staff are due. Please be sure to review eligibility guidelines before submitting a nomination online. For more information contact Staff Council at 474-7056 or fystaff@uaf.edu.

Feb 16: Faculty, staff and student deadline for technology fee (TAB grant) proposals. TAB funds come from fees collected from UAF students on a per course basis. Each proposal must focus on technology of direct benefit to students, either in the classroom or related educational/learning activities.

Feb. 18: Usibelli Award nominations in the areas of teaching, public service and research are due to the UAF Provost's Office. For guidelines and more information visit the Usibelli Award nominations website.

Feb. 28: Honorary degree nominations for 2012 are due to the UAF Provost’s Office. For guidelines and more information visit the Honorary Degree website.

March 1: Student proposals for fall 2011 RISE (Review of Infrastructure, Sustainability and Energy) sustainability proposals are due. Guidelines for proposals can be found online.

March 1: Applications for the Alaska Space Grant funding opportunities for research initiations grants, higher education grants and pre-college grants are due.

March 18: Nominations for the Staff Make Students Count Award are due. Please be sure to review eligibility guidelines before submitting a nomination online. For more information contact the UAF Governance office at 474-7056 or fystaff@uaf.edu.

Cornerstone banner photo by Todd Paris, UAF Marketing and Communications.