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The University of Colorado at Boulder is one of six core academic partners in a new effort to study terrorism funded by a $12 million shared grant from the Department of Homeland Security. Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge announced the grant today at the University of Maryland, where the new research center will be headquartered. The new center is part of a consortium that includes CU-Boulder, UCLA, the University of Pennsylvania, the University of South Carolina and the Monterey Institute of International Studies.

The Thai Student Association at the University of Colorado at Boulder will raise funds for tsunami relief efforts for four days during Jan. 10-14 at the University Memorial Center. With the exception of Wednesday, Jan. 12, the student group will operate a booth in the UMC from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. each day. The booth will feature information and pictures of what is happening in Thailand as a result of the tsunami disaster, said Arunee Tanvisuth, an association member and a doctoral student in business strategy and entrepreneurship.

A study investigating whether protected public lands play a positive or negative role in the economic health of nearby communities will be presented at a free lecture Jan. 12 at 7 p.m. on the University of Colorado at Boulder campus. Ray Rasker, the author of the study, will talk about "Prosperity in the 21st Century: the Role of Protected Lands" in Eaton Humanities Building room IB050. Rasker is director of the SocioEconomics Program of the Sonoran Institute, a nonprofit organization that promotes community-based strategies for conservation and development.

University of Colorado at Boulder physics Professor John Taylor, also known as the original "Mr. Wizard," will present a program titled "Why Things Move" Jan. 15 as part of the annual CU Wizards series. The free hour-long show will begin at 9:30 a.m. in Duane Physics room G1B30.

The 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals will hear arguments at the University of Colorado at Boulder School of Law on Jan. 12 in the Lindsley Memorial Courtroom from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Students will be able to hear oral arguments in six cases. After the arguments have been heard, students will be given the opportunity to ask the judges questions. Presiding over the hearing will be the honorable Timothy M. Tymkovich, a 1982 graduate of the CU law school appointed to the bench in April 2003, the honorable Carlos F. Lucero and the honorable Robert F. Blackman.

An American engineer has produced a mathematical model explaining the elegant shape of the Eiffel Tower that was derived from French engineer Gustave Eiffel's writings regarding his own fears about the effects of wind on such a structure.

A memorial service for Kelly Hillgrove, a University of Colorado at Boulder student who died Dec. 26 when a tsunami struck Sri Lanka, will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 2, in Muenzinger Psychology Building room 050 on the CU-Boulder campus. Hillgrove, 35, was a senior majoring in ethnic studies with a minor in political science. She was a full-time student at CU-Boulder in fall semester 2004 and was enrolled again for spring semester. She also had taken classes through CU-Boulder Continuing Education in spring 1992.

The Friends of the University of Colorado Libraries will hold its annual Information Day at Norlin Library on the CU-Boulder campus Thursday, Jan. 6, from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event is free and open to the public and will be in the Center for British and Irish Studies on the fifth floor. No reservations are required.

"Eric was discharged from the hospital yesterday. He still has a lot of healing and rehabilitation ahead of him and will not be returning to work for several months. "Our family is very happy to be together for this holiday season and we would like to wish everyone a happy, healthy new year." NOTE Nobel laureate Eric Cornell is a senior scientist at the National Institute of Standards and Technology and adjoint professor of physics at the University of Colorado at Boulder.

Editors: Enclosed are the names of the degree candidates from your area. This list was accurate as of Dec. 16 but is subject to final grade reports. Local students were among the 2,227 students who received degrees from the University of Colorado at Boulder during winter commencement ceremonies on Dec. 17. In addition, prominent Colorado businessman Bruce Benson received an honorary doctoral degree recognizing his university and public service, and longtime CU-Boulder staff member Kathleen Salzberg received the University Medal during the ceremony.