This year’s SEEDS (Scientists and Engineers Expanding Diversity and Success) Distinguished Lecturer for the Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science is Professor Mercedes Pascual, of the Center for the Study of Complex Systems and the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Michigan. Pascual is a theoretical ecologist interested in the population dynamics of infectious diseases, their response to changing environments, and their interplay with pathogen diversity. She will lecture on “Infectious Disease Dynamics and Climate Forcing: A Role of the Oceans” on Tuesday, December 7 at 11 a.m. in the SLAB Seminar Room at the Rosenstiel School. Her career-issues seminar will be held on Wednesday, December 8 at 4 p.m. in the Rosenstiel School’s Library Map and Chart Room. Both events are open to all. To attend mentoring sessions after each seminar, graduate students, postdocs, scientists, and faculty should RSVP at www.as.miami.edu/seeds. For more information, contact Associate Professor Su Sponaugle at [email protected].

Lula: Son of Brazil is a controversial biopic about current outgoing Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. The film, Brazil’s official submission for Best Foreign Language Film for the 2011 Academy Awards, will be screened at the Bill Cosford Cinema, followed by a Q&A session with special guest producer Paula Barreto. Guests from the Brazilian Consulate in Miami will also participate in the discussion. Admission is free for UM students; $6 for seniors, University of Miami alumni, faculty, non-UM students, and staff. General admission is $8. Cash only. For more information, visit www.cosfordcinema.com/lattmanfilmseries.

Ideal for those who have DMAS/FRS access to sponsored accounts, this class will include a review of sponsored program screens in DMAS and FRS. Topics of discussion will include what SPM access allows users to do on DMAS and FRS, post-award accounting such as the award reimbursement method, and various FAQs on topics such as cost-share and guarantee data. The class will be held on Tuesday, December 7 from 1 to 4 p.m. at Calder Memorial Library’s electronic classroom, Room 303A, on the Miller School of Medicine campus. Register at ULearn. For more information, contact Vivian L. Kaye at 305-284-5509 or e-mail [email protected].

The University of Miami will upgrade to the latest version of Blackboard, 9.1, during Summer 2011. Faculty and staff are invited to attend a special sneak peek event and see a demonstration of its exciting new features. The event will be held in the Learning Center, Room 184 on Tuesday, December 7 from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. Register by visiting www.iacmiami.org/events/233.

Offered by the Faculty and Staff Assistance Program (FSAP), this seminar will provide participants with an understanding of the types of stressors brought on by the holidays and will review strategies to manage them effectively. The seminar will help attendees increase their awareness of factors that influence levels of holiday stress; troubleshoot the difficulties commonly encountered when confronting such stressors; and develop effective stress-management techniques for approaching such challenges.

Coral Gables campus: Tuesday, December 7 from 12 to 1 p.m., McArthur Engineering Annex, MEA202.

Rosenstiel School campus: Wednesday, December 8 from 12 to 1 p.m. in the Library, Map and Chart Room.

Miller School campus: Thursday, December 9 from 12 to 1 p.m. in the Medical Wellness Center classroom.

To register, visit ULearn. For help with ULearn, call the Professional Development and Training Office at 305-284-5110 or 305-243-3090. To receive e-mail announcements of upcoming seminars, call the FSAP at 305-284-6604.