What's happening at Penn State? Here's a look at some of the cultural events taking place at the University this weekend and in the coming week:
Performances
Chris D'Elia — 10 p.m., Sept. 23, Alumni Hall, HUB-Robeson Center. The Student Programming Association presents comedian Chris D'Elia. Free for students with valid Penn State ID.
"Faculty Artist Series" — 1 p.m., Sept. 24, Palmer Museum of Art. The Palmer Museum of Art will host a series of Sunday afternoon concerts while the School of Music facilities are undergoing construction and renovation. The weekly concerts will be held in the "BIG Deal" exhibition on the museum’s second floor. Free.
Events
Tenth annual Postdoc Research Exhibition — 1:30-5 p.m., Sept. 22, HUB-Robeson Center. The Office of Postdoctoral Affairs and the Penn State Postdoc Society will host its annual research exhibition. Free.
Virasat 2017 — Sept. 22-24, HUB-Robeson Center. The Society for Indian Music and Arts hosts a three-day conference on traditional Indian music, featuring research presentations and musical performances.
Great Insect Fair — 10 a.m.- 4 p.m., Sept. 23, Snider Ag Arena. The Department of Entomology and the College of Agricultural Sciences hosts the annual insect event featuring exhibits and activities for children and adults of all ages. Free.
Yoga and Meditation series — 5:30 p.m., Sept. 27, 16 Borland Building. Elisha Clark Halpin, associate professor and associate director for instruction in the School of Theatre, leads the series each Wednesday through Oct. 4. Free.
Lectures
Retired FBI Supervisory Special Agent James Fitzgerald — Sept. 21-22, Perkins Student Center Auditorium, Penn State Berks. Retired FBI Supervisory Special Agent James “Fitz” Fitzgerald, a 1975 Penn State graduate, a former student at Penn State Berks and the agent responsible for bringing the Unabomber to justice, will give two presentations at Penn State Berks. Free, but tickets in advance required.
"Environmental Research and Engineering Consulting" — Noon, Sept. 22, third floor, Huck Life Sciences Bridge. Rachel Brennan, director of the Advanced Ecological Engineering Systems Laboratory will present as part of the weekly Sustainability Showcase. Free.
"Plasticity is Life" — 3:30 p.m., Sept. 22, 16 Borland. Jennifer Wagner-Lawlor, professor of English and women's, gender and sexuality studies, will kick off the Arts and Design Research Incubator's "Mechanisms of Mind" monthly series. Free.
Distinguished Speaker Series: Michael Sam — 8 p.m., Sept. 26, Heritage Hall, HUB-Robeson Center. Michael Sam, a University of Missouri football star primed for an early-round selection in the 2014 NFL draft, was nearly sidelined when he came out as gay during an ESPN interview. Sam emerged as a powerful and prominent icon for inclusion, a pioneer for the LGBTQ community, and an exemplar of the resilience and tenacity of the human spirit. Free, but tickets required.
Exhibits
"SEEP" — Aug. 24-Sept. 30, Woskob Family Gallery, State College. The exhibit presents 11 contemporary artists from across the country whose work engages with water. Free.
"BIG Deal: Sizeable Paintings" — Sept. 5-Dec. 17, Palmer Museum of Art. The museum showcases some of its monumental canvases from its permanent collection, many of which have not been on view in recent years. Free.
"Minna Citron after Atelier 17" — Sept. 5-Dec. 10, Palmer Museum of Art. Four decades of printmaking by artist Minna Citron. Free.
"Field to Front: Nittany Lions at War, 1917-1919" — April 23, 2017-April 30, 2018, the Penn State All-Sports Museum. The exhibit chronicles the contributions of Nittany Lion lettermen during World War I and follows their service from training in the U.S. to fighting in France and Italy. Free.