One word: 'Plastics'

Cornell Cinema is screening Mike Nichols' groundbreaking 1967 film "The Graduate" May 8-9, with Dustin Hoffman as Benjamin, a recent college graduate with an uncertain future. The film is a biting satire and a subversive critique of the younger and older generations it depicts, as Benjamin finds himself trapped at home with his parents, seduced by an older woman (Anne Bancroft) and in love with her daughter (Katharine Ross). The story, stellar performances by the cast and a Simon and Garfunkel soundtrack combined to make the film a classic; it is being shown in a 35mm Cinemascope print.

Mr. Mozart

"Mozart and Other Topics: A Symposium in Honor of Neal Zaslaw on the Occasion of His 70th Birthday" will be held May 10 from 9:15 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. in the A.D. White House. Former students and colleagues of Zaslaw, the Herbert Gussman Professor of Music, will present two sessions in the Guerlac Room.

The symposium closes with a musical performance of Beethoven's Trio in G Major, op. 1, no. 2, played by Cornell alumni. Schedule: http://music.cornell.edu/calendar.

Mayfest

Cornell University's Department of Music, under the artistic direction of pianists Xak Bjerken and Miri Yampolsky, presents Mayfest, its second annual international chamber music festival of six concerts, May 16-21. The program, in observance of the anniversary years of Haydn and Mendelssohn, includes classics, newer works and jazz/cabaret presented by internationally renowned guests, Cornell music faculty and student performers, and works by Cornellians James Matheson and Zachary Wadsworth. Schedule and tickets: http://www.IthacaEvents.com or 273-4497. Also see: http://mayfest-cornell.org.

Unconference

Mann Library hosts a campuswide unconference (aka Collaborate@Cornell: Global Partnerships, Knowledge and Technology) on May 21 that brings together individuals across a variety of disciplines who are engaged in sharing knowledge and research with international partners. Cornell faculty, staff and graduate students will participate in small-group discussions on mobile phone and mapping technology, translational software, local knowledge integration and knowledge sharing tools and platforms. Following a keynote address by Vice Provost for International Relations Alice Pell, 12 faculty, staff and students will present their research in five-minute "lightning presentations." Free. Registration required: http://collaborate.mannlib.cornell.edu. Questions: Jaron Porciello, jat264@cornell.edu, 607-255-9903.

Communicating science

The Third Annual Public Engagement and Science Communication Symposium will be held May 12 in G-10 Biotechnology Building from 1 to 6 p.m., hosted by the Cornell Center for Life Science Enterprise. Cornell faculty will vie for the top $10,000 prize in the science-poster communication contest. The event will include panel discussions and the keynote address by Rohit Shukla, CEO of the Larta Institute, on commercialization of breakthrough technologies. Posters will be judged by members of the community. Free and open to the public. Schedule: http://www.biotech.cornell.edu.

Games people play

Visit the annual Game Design Showcase, from 3 to 6 p.m. Saturday, May 9, in Upson 361, to see and play computer games created by students in the Game Design Initiative at Cornell and meet the game designers and engineers of tomorrow. Eighteen new games will be shown, including a networked racing game, a new game for the XBox and "White Out," which uses advanced lighting effects to display ghosts in the dark. More info and a list of games at http://gdiac.cis.cornell.edu.

Outing Club

The public is welcome to attend weekly Cornell Outing Club meetings to learn about trips, educational programs and discuss topics related to outdoor recreation in the greater Cornell community. Club activities include backpacking, boating, caving, cycling, rock and ice climbing, and snow sports. Meeting schedule: http://cornelloutingclub.org. Contact: Ari Epstein, 254-5161, ate2@cornell.edu.