ATTENTION: Assignment editors, higher education reporters

16 October 2002
Contact: Alice Boatwright, Development Communications

510.643.8658
akb@dev.urel.berkeley.edu

WHAT:
A rare opportunity for the 5,500 alumni and parents expected at the University of California, Berkeley’s Homecoming & Parents Weekend to get first-hand updates from top professors about the state of the world.

WHEN:
Homecoming & Parents Weekend runs Friday, Oct. 18, through Sunday, Oct. 20. The lectures take place on Friday and Saturday only.

WHERE:
Various classrooms and lecture halls on the UC Berkeley campus.

WHO:
Among the 23 lecture topics and speakers are:

TERRORISM: Michael Nacht, dean of the Richard & Rhoda Goldman School of Public Policy (Friday, 6-6:45 p.m., 2060 Valley Life Sciences Bldg.)
CALIFORNIA POLITICS: Bruce Cain, director of the Institute of Governmental Studies (Friday, 2-3 p.m., 110 South Hall)
WORLD TRADE CENTER COLLAPSE: Abolhassan Astaneh-Asl, professor of civil and environmental engineering (Saturday, 9-9:45 a.m., Sibley Auditorium, Bechtel Engineering Center)
ETHICS AND THE AMERICAN PRESS: Cynthia Gorney, associate professor of journalism (Saturday, 12:30-1:30 p.m., 110 South Hall)
CYBER WARS: Robert Berring Jr., law librarian and a professor of law and of information management and systems (Friday, 9:30-10:30 a.m., 370 Dwinelle Hall)
RECENT DISCOVERIES ABOUT THE UNIVERSE: Bernard Sadoulet, physics professor and director of the Center for Particle Astrophysics (Friday, 11 a.m.-noon, 370 Dwinelle Hall)

BACKGROUND:
In addition to the highly popular faculty seminars, the weekend — sponsored by UC Berkeley and the California Alumni Association — offers dozens of activities for alumni, parents, students and friends, including class reunions, open houses and tours, a chancellor’s address, homecoming rally, and all-class procession to the Cal vs. UCLA football game.