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The basic chemistry of life processes and the wonders of giant telescopes will be discussed in January during two separate presentations at the University of Colorado at Boulder. The CU Wizards show "Biochemistry for Kids" will take place Saturday, Jan. 17, at 9:30 a.m. in Cristol Chemistry and Biochemistry, room 140. Then at 2 p.m. in Duane Physics, room G1B30, the CU-Boulder physics department will present "Telescopes, Spy Satellites and Video Astronomy" as part of its Saturday Physics Series. Both shows are free and open to the public.

The mysteries of black holes and the history of the space shuttle program will be discussed in January during Fiske Planetarium presentations at the University of Colorado at Boulder. "Black Holes and Relativity" will take place Thursday, Jan. 15, and Friday, Jan. 16, while "History of the Space Shuttle" will be held Thursday, Jan. 22. All presentations begin at 7:30 p.m. and admission is $5 for adults, $4 for students with valid ID and $3 for children and seniors.

The Natural Resources Law Center at the University of Colorado at Boulder's School of Law is offering a free compact disc of its new book on groundwater law in the West. The "Groundwater Law Sourcebook of the Western United States" provides an overview of the management and allocation issues that surround the use of groundwater in the West and a detailed explanation of groundwater law in each of the 11 Western states. The 86-page book also can be downloaded at no cost from the Natural Resources Law Center's Web site.

NEWS TIP SHEET CU-Boulder will hold two free open houses for the public at the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics facility in the CU Research Park in conjunction with NASA's two Mars Rover landings slated for the evenings of Jan. 3 and Jan. 24. The evening open houses at LASP's Space Technology Building will be held from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. MST. Live NASA feeds will broadcast the landings. Landing time for the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit is expected at 9:25 p.m. MST on Jan 3. The Opportunity spacecraft is expected to arrive on Mars at 9:54 MST on Jan 24.

CU-Boulder Friends of the Libraries will hold its annual community Information Day on Tuesday, Jan. 6. The event, which is free and open to the public, will be from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Center for British Studies on the fifth floor of Norlin Library on the University of Colorado at Boulder campus. Entrance to the library is through the west door. Information Day is intended to familiarize citizens with the contents of CU-Boulder's libraries and to inform them of methods to access the libraries' resources.

Stephen Lawrence has been appointed associate dean for academic programs at the University of Colorado at Boulder Leeds School of Business to manage the school's undergraduate and MBA programs as well as its diversity and placement activities. His appointment is effective through Aug. 31, 2007. "Stephen is a strong leader who supports the values and priorities of the Leeds School," said Steven Manaster, dean of the Leeds School. "His leadership will be instrumental as we move the school forward."

A green idea turned into the right idea for the University of Colorado at Boulder department of chemistry and biochemistry.

Editors: Enclosed are names of the degree candidates from your area. This list is subject to final grade reports. Local students were among the 2,051 students who received degrees Dec. 19 during winter commencement at the University of Colorado at Boulder. The ceremony was held in the Coors Events/Conference Center on the CU-Boulder campus.

More than $140,000 and hundreds of winter coats, sweaters and other clothing have been donated by the University of Colorado at Boulder community during the holiday season, according to organizers at the university's Office of Community Affairs. Winter Warmth Drive items were collected Nov. 3 to Dec. 5 at CU-Boulder deans' offices, the chancellor's office, the bookstore and other locations and included 247 coats, 118 sweaters, 26 blankets and dozens more hats, scarves, gloves and socks. The CU Bookstore donated several new jackets bearing the CU logo.

According to recent analyses, six-year graduation rates for minority students have risen in line with newly announced improved graduation rates for the overall student body at the University of Colorado at Boulder. The latest data from the Office of Planning and Budget Analysis show 60 percent of Asian Americans entering CU-Boulder since 1994 have graduated within six years, an increase of 5 percent to 10 percent over the rates of those who entered in the early 1990s.