Powering up

Héctor D. Abruña, director of the Cornell Fuel Cell Institute and Energy Materials Center, will discuss "Fuel Cells, Batteries and the Energy Landscape," June 12, 3 p.m., in Lewis Auditorium, Goldwin Smith Hall. He will suggest a range of solutions to meet the world's energy needs, including hydrogen, solar, nuclear and wind, and discuss the need to develop new ways to store energy through new kinds of batteries and capacitors.

Inclusion, exclusion lecture

Farland Chang '84, Emmy Award-winning broadcast journalist, former CNN anchor and NBC correspondent and current executive producer at WorldBizWatch, will talk about using storytelling to communicate through mass media to both Asian and Western audiences as the CAAA/Mosaic keynote lecturer, June 12, 1:30 p.m., Statler Auditorium. His talk, "When East Meets West: The Power of Sticky Stories and Stellar Storytellers," will highlight the themes that resonate with multicultural audiences and the keys to succeeding as a production and media consulting company.

Following Chang's lecture, 2:15 p.m.-3 p.m., also at the Statler Auditorium, Cornell's anti-oppression student theatre troupe, Ordinary People, will present seven skits designed to provoke critical discussion about "isms" and micro-aggressions. The program will be moderated by Renee T. Alexander '74, director of Cornell's alumni diversity programs.

About A.D. White

Every 20 minutes, June 12, 1-4 p.m., a tour of the A.D. White Library in Uris Library will be held, focusing on the founder, his collections and his role in designing "the great living, growing historical workshop of the university."

An American odyssey

Brad Herzog '90 will read from "Turn Left at the Trojan Horse: A Would-be Hero's American Odyssey," his story as a would-be hero making his way toward his alma mater in Ithaca, N.Y., June 13 at 4 p.m., Buffalo Street Books. With middle age bearing down on him and a college reunion on his agenda, Herzog takes stock: How has he measured up to his youthful aspirations? What constitutes a life well-lived? Book-signing. Information: http://www.BradHerzog.com.

Pop, rock and Iceland

The Icelandic music scene has experienced a volcanic eruption since the late 1990s, following the unprecedented international success of Björk. Soffía Auður Birgisdóttir, visiting curator of the Fiske Icelandic Collection, will discuss the links between traditional Icelandic music and contemporary pop and rock music, from "rímur" to "rapp," in a lecture, "Landscapes and Soundscapes: Icelandic Music and Icelandic Identity," June 16 at 4:30 p.m., Kroch Library, Room 2B48. She will also outline the subtle relationships between Icelandic nature and Icelandic identity that thrive in Icelandic music.

Math for the masses

Steven Strogatz, the Jacob Gould Schurman Professor of Applied Mathematics, will speak at the next Communicators@Cornell luncheon, June 17, noon-1:15 p.m., 401 Warren Hall. Using examples from his recent New York Times column about math, Strogatz will talk about writing about complex ideas for a general audience. Limited seating. Information: 607-254-3527, e-mail Kelly Speiser, kelly.speiser@cornell.edu.

Preferred shopping

More than 70 vendors will show their wares at the Preferred Vendor Show, June 17, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Ramin Multipurpose Room, Bartels Hall. Faculty and staff can meet sales representatives, learn about updates in their products, services and pricing and become eligible for door prizes. Sponsored by the Office for Supply Management Services. Information: 607-255-7402, e-mail Glenn Morey, gem5@cornell.edu.

Summer sizzles

From Cornell Cinema's 40th Anniversary Celebration, June 23-26; Summer Sessions weekly indoor concerts at the Schwartz Center, starting with Yiddish street music performed by Cornell Klezmorin with Ryan Zawel, June 29; weekly outdoor concerts on the Arts Quad, kicked off by Diana Leagh and Crazy Rhythm, July 2; and lectures by Jim Maas (July 14), Patricia Moore (July 21) and Kenneth Blanchard (July 28), as well as by professors of other universities; to drop-in tours of the Botanical Garden; workshops in Chinese brush painting, book art and youth writing at the Johnson Museum; and six Bound for Glory folk concerts Sunday evenings at the Café at Anabel Taylor Hall and broadcast on WVBR, summer at Cornell is full to things to do. Information: http://www.cornell.edu/events/; http://www.sce.cornell.edu/ss/about/events/index.php; http://www.arts.cornell.edu/sochum/sct/events.html; http://wvbr.com/bfg; and "Things to Do," at Chronicle Online, http://chronicle.cornell.edu/, posted biweekly, June 18-Aug. 13.