Things to Do, July 6-31

Life on other worlds

Lisa Kaltenegger, associate professor of astronomy, will share her research on potentially habitable planets beyond our solar system in a free public lecture, “A Thousand New Worlds,” July 8 at 7 p.m. in Call Auditorium, Kennedy Hall.

kaltenegger
Kaltenegger

Kaltenegger, the director of the Carl Sagan Institute, says we live in an age when we finally may be able to answer the question, “Are we alone in the universe?” In search of that answer, she has been examining alien worlds for biosignatures – the pre-conditions and indications of life.

“We are on the cusp of discovery, mapping our place among the thousands of worlds in the night sky,” Kaltenegger says.

Sponsored by the School of Continuing Education and Summer Sessions, free summer events on campus through July 31 feature Tuesday performances at the Schwartz Center for the Performing Arts, Wednesday lectures in Call Auditorium and Friday concerts on the Arts Quad.

Also upcoming: The Cornell Faculty Jazz Quintet plays music by the Miles Davis Quintet, Tuesday, July 7 at 7:30 p.m.; Ithaca folk-rock band Not from Wisconsin, Friday, July 10 at 7 p.m.; “Ezra’s Circus,” a performance by local Circus Culture artists, July 14 at 7:30 p.m.; and “‘The Entire Country Requires Reclamation’: Reconstruction in the North,” a lecture by Douglas Egerton, recent Merrill Family Visiting Professor of History at Cornell, Wednesday, July 15 at 7 p.m. Information: cusce@cornell.edu or 607-255-4987.

Cinema Under the Stars

Cornell Cinema presents outdoor screenings in its Cinema Under the Stars series on two Wednesdays in July: Alfred Hitchcock’s 1946 thriller “Notorious” on July 8, starring Cary Grant, Ingrid Bergman and Claude Rains; and the 1980 comedy “Caddyshack” on July 22, with Bill Murray, Chevy Chase and Rodney Dangerfield. Screenings begin at 9:30 p.m. on the Willard Straight Terrace and feature a cash bar and complimentary snacks.

Doors open at 8:15 p.m., and patrons are welcome to bring picnic dinners. A drawing for three pairs of Cornell Cinema guest passes will be held at each show. In case of rain, films will be shown in Willard Straight Theatre.

Tickets are $13 each, $11 for students and senior citizens, on sale at CornellCinemaTickets.com. Screenings typically sell out; tickets sold in advance will be held for pickup at the door and if unclaimed by 9:15 p.m. may be resold (cash only at the door). Information: 607-255-3522.

Midsummer nights

Ithaca Shakespeare Company presents the 13th season of live Shakespeare plays in Cornell Plantations’ F.R. Newman Arboretum beginning July 9, with shows at 6 p.m. Thursday through Sunday evenings.

Join Falstaff and Prince Hal for “Henry IV: Banish All the World,” to be staged July 9, 11, 17, 19, 23 and 25. Comedy, drama, history and adventure rolled into one, the production combines material from “Henry IV,” Parts 1 and 2.

Shakespeare's magical play “A Midsummer Night's Dream” 
brings quarreling lovers, feuding fairies and a troupe of wannabe actors to the Arboretum in Jackson Grove, July 10, 12, 16, 18, 24 and 26.

Tickets are $15 per person for Friday-Sunday performances; $10 on Thursday; with a $5 discount at all shows for students and senior citizens (age 65 and up). For information and advance tickets, visit Ithaca Shakespeare Company online. Patrons may bring lawn chairs, blankets, picnics and umbrellas; performances will go on during rain, but may be halted in severe weather.

Staff Development Day

The 17th Annual Staff Development Day at Cornell, July 22 in the Physical Sciences Building, will feature opportunities for Cornell employees to invest in their personal and professional growth and well-being.

A variety of workshops and displays will focus on aspects of education exploration, professional development, community and wellness in the workplace. A Resource Showcase will be held 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the building’s Baker Portico and Atrium. More than 30 workshops will be held in concurrent sessions from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Physical Sciences Building and Clark Hall.

For updates, visit https://www.hr.cornell.edu/life/career/seed.html.

Fossil talk

The Paleontological Research Institution (PRI) will hold its ninth annual Summer Symposium Aug. 1-2 at PRI and the Museum of the Earth. Lectures, research presentations and tours of PRI’s collections and labs will be held Saturday, Aug. 1, and a field trip to local Devonian sites will be Sunday, Aug. 2 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The keynote speaker is Mark Uhen of George Mason University, whose research is on the origin and evolution of marine mammals and the relationship of fossil organisms to climate change. Professionals, students and amateurs are invited to present their research in paleontology, earth science, biology, environmental science or science education. Presenters should register by July 20.

Symposium registration includes breakfast, lunch and an evening barbecue on Saturday. Registration is open through July 25; fees are $15 per day for students, $25 Saturday and $20 Sunday for non-students. Lunch is included in Sunday field trip registration. Prices increase $5 after July 15.

For information, contact Paula Mikkelsen at symposium@museumoftheearth.org or 607-273-6623, ext. 20. 

Garden tours

Cornell Plantations offers free Botanical Garden Tours every Saturday and Sunday at 1 p.m. through Sept. 27. Guided tours begin at the Nevin Welcome Center, 124 Comstock Knoll Road.

Tours feature a diversity of theme gardens, including the Herb Garden, Flower Garden, Groundcover Collection and Tropical Container Display. Tour content will vary from week to week depending on what’s in bloom and the interests of the group.

Media Contact

Joe Schwartz