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Life on the Spectrum - David Finch
7:00 PM – Sun Room, Memorial Union - David Finch is the author of the New York Times best-selling memoir The Journal of Best Practices. Married in 2003 and diagnosed five years later with Asperger syndrome, he has committed himself to relentless self-improvement, sometimes to a comical extent. A former semiconductor engineer turned full-time writer and speaker, David Finch has written for The New York Times, Huffington Post and Slate. He also writes a relationship blog for Psychology Today. He will discuss living with an autism-spectrum condition and his persistent and focused efforts to improve as an individual, husband and father. His experience is a lesson in adaptability and self-motivation for how to succeed in relationships, career, marriage, or any aspect of life.

Soil, Water, Energy and Ecosystems in a Changing Climate - Daniel Hillel
8:00 PM – Great Hall, Memorial Union - Daniel Hillel has been named the 2012 World Food Prize Laureate for developing and implementing micro-irrigation systems to deliver water more efficiently to crops in dry lands. For more than fifty years these precision watering systems have revolutionized agriculture in the Middle East and other arid regions around the world, allowing producers to maximize water resources, increase crop yields, and minimize environmental degradation. Trained as a soil physicist, Daniel Hillel emphasizes the inter-connectedness of food production, water management, and soil science in his work. The World Bank, U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization, and the U.S. Agency for International Development have promoted his techniques globally. He is currently a research scientist at Columbia University's Earth Institute and is working on the adaptation of agriculture to climate change in association with NASA/Goddard Institute for Space Studies. 2012 Norman Borlaug Lecture and part of the World Affairs Series. A reception and student poster display will precede the lecture from 7 to 8 p.m. in the Oak Room, Memorial Union. Posters will address world food issues and are submitted by undergraduate and graduate students.

The Keystone XL Pipeline and the Protection of American Lands - Randy Thompson
8:00 PM – Great Hall, Memorial Union - Nebraska rancher Randy Thompson is a leader in the opposition to the proposed TransCanada Keystone XL pipeline, which would carry tar-sands crude-oil mined in Alberta, Canada, 1,700 miles across the Great Plains to Gulf Coast refineries. He became an opponent of the Keystone XL pipeline out of conerns that his land would be condemned for the pipeline. "Stand with Randy" events were organized across Nebraska to support his efforts. His land is no longer threatened by the new proposed route, but he continues to speak out about how the pipeline threatens other Nebraska farms and ranches. Part of the National Affairs Series. Tom Poor Bear, Vice President of the Pine Ridge Oglala Lakota Nation and a longtime American Indian activist, was unable to participate in the presentation. His talk will be rescheduled for a later date.

A Killer in the Dark: Documentary & Discussion
7:00 PM – Sun Room, Memorial Union - A Killer in the Dark is a documentary about the fight against malaria, a preventable disease that kills an estimated 800,000 people each year. The film shows what life is like for those fearful of contracting the disease and highlights the work of Imagine No Malaria, a ministry affiliated with the United Methodist Church in Africa. A Killer in the Dark was created as a TV special and aired on NBC affiliates nationwide in 2011. It is narrated by Pauley Perrette, who is best known for her role on NCSI. Katie Dawson, coordinator for Imagine No Malaria in the Iowa Annual Conference, and Lyric Bartholomay, Iowa State associate professor of medical entomology, will lead a post-film discussion and Q&A.

Mexican/Chicano Identity and History Through Spoken Word & Puerto Rican Poems of Solidarity - Michael Reyes
9:00 PM – Maintenance Shop, Memorial Union - Michael Reyes is a Chicano/Mexicano poet, actor, playwright, artist and community organizer specializing in youth development. His interactive presentations combine history, current events and performance into a fusion of education and entertainment. As a poet and spoken word artist Michael Reyes has been featured on HBO Latino's Habla Series, on Latin Nation, and in the PBS documentary Dream Makers. He has released three books of poetry and three performance CDs. As an actor, his credits include roles in the plays The Sun Always Shines for the Cool and Chicago Boricua, and in the feature film Nothing Like the Holidays. He worked with poet Tato Laveria on The Spark, Chupacabera and the 1977 Division Street Riots. Currently, Reyes is touring with his play Crime Against Humanity, co-written by former Puerto Rican Political Prisoner Luis Rosa. Part of the Latino Heritage Month Celebration.

ISU College Republicans v. ISU Democrats - 2012 Campaign Debate
7:00 PM – Sun Room, Memorial Union - The ISU College Republicans will debate the ISU College Democrats on 2012 campaign issues before a panel of judges. The groups will also make available voter registration and candidate information. The College Republicans will be led by president Kyle Etzel. The ISU College Democrats will be led by president Abhishek Vemuri. The winners will have a chance to defend their title at the annual First Amendment Day Caucus Cup in April. Part of the First Amendment Series.

Response Ability: Being an Everyday Hero - Mike Dilbeck
7:00 PM – Great Hall, Memorial Union - Mike Dilbeck is founder and president of the RESPONSE ABILITY Project, working to empower people to be everyday heroes in their own lives by standing up, saying something and taking action when they witness unhealthy or negative behavior. People from all walks of life learn to understand that seizing an opportunity to act can dramatically change their community, their organizations and each other. Mike uses live texting and video clips to give audience members new tools for confronting harmful behavior in others, revealing the nature of this social epidemic of inaction.

Corporate Rights in Global Trade and Their Dangerous Consequences - Lori Wallach
6:00 PM – Alliant Energy-Lee Liu Auditorium, Howe Hall - Lori Wallach, Director of Public Citizen's Global Trade Watch, is an internationally recognized expert on globalization and trade. A Harvard-trained lawyer with sixteen years of experience on the front lines of the globalization debate, she has testified on NAFTA, GATT-WTO and other trade issues before more than thirty U.S. congressional committees, the U.S. International Trade Commission, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, foreign parliaments and courts. Wallach has worked with civil society, scholars, and activists in developing countries and with U.S. congressional, environmental, labor, and other allies. She has served as a trade policy commentator in the media and is the coauthor of Whose Trade Organization? A Comprehensive Guide to the WTO. Part of the Technology, Globalization and Culture Series and World Affairs Series.

Shift: Redefining North Korea- Documentary & Discussion
7:00 PM – Great Hall, Memorial Union - For decades North Korea has been defined by its politics, which has isolated it from our global community. The People's Crisis, a 50-minute documentary, focuses on the harsh reality of life inside North Korea, including footage from a refugee rescue mission by the nonprofit awareness and advocacy organization LiNK. The North Korean people are living under a ruthless system of political repression, and it is their stories that remain unheard when the focus is only on that country's nuclear weapons or reclusive leaders. LiNK is bringing the conversation back to the people and providing tangible ways to get involved. Its mission is to redefine North Korea by focusing on the people, while rescuing and providing resettlement support to North Korean refugees and pursuing an end to the North Korea crisis. A discussion led by representatives from the organization will immediately follow the film.

Take It Higher Than Just Higher Education - Michael Reyes
7:00 PM – Sun Room, Memorial Union - Michael Reyes is a Chicano/Mexicano poet, actor, playwright, artist and community organizer specializing in youth development. His interactive presentations combine history, current events and performance into a fusion of education and entertainment. His talk examines the characteristics of a critical thinker and what it means to be "schooled" versus "educated." It's a call to action for college students to reinvest in building community both on and off campus. Part of the Latino Heritage Month Celebration.