Nassau notes

U.S. Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, will deliver a major policy address titled “Global Trends and National Security” at 4:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 5, in McCosh 10.

Mullen serves as the principal military adviser to the president, the secretary of defense, the National Security Council and the Homeland Security Council. He began his two-year term as the 17th chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in October 2007. Mullen will help guide the new administration of President Barack Obama as it works to assess the ongoing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The event is sponsored by the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, the Princeton Project on National Security and the University’s U.S. Army ROTC Program.

Batsheva Dance Company coming to McCarter

Batsheva Dance Company (photo: Gadi Dagon)

Batsheva Dance Company will bring its acclaimed production “Three (Shalosh)” to the McCarter Theatre Center on Monday, Feb. 2. Since its founding in 1964 by Martha Graham and Baroness Batsheva de Rothschild, Batsheva Dance Company has become one of the most influential cultural entities in Israel. The 17-member company’s power is on full display in “Three,” an expansive three-part work set to music ranging from Brian Eno and the Beach Boys to Bach’s “Goldberg Variations.” For ticket information, call the McCarter ticket office at 258-2787 or visit www.mccarter.org.

Spring lecture series focuses on Latin American art, literature, film

An international collection of artists, writers and scholars will participate in a lecture series titled “Art, Literature, Film: Latin American Perspectives” hosted this spring by the Program in Latin American Studies.

The series will kick off with a screening of Mexican filmmaker Carlos Reygadas’ work “Luz Silenciosa” (with English subtitles) at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 4, in 219 Burr Hall, followed by an English-language discussion with the director.

Other speakers in the series will include Mexican architect Enrique Norten, Mexican author Álvaro Enrique and Brazilian artist Adriana Varejão.

The full schedule for the lectures can be found at www.princeton.edu/plas/news-and-events/.

Student art exhibition at Lucas Gallery

Sculpture by Tiennhan Phan (photo: M. Teresa Simao)

This sculpture by freshman Tiennhan Phan is part of a student art exhibition running Feb. 3-19 in the Lucas Gallery, 185 Nassau St. The exhibition includes works from fall semester courses in ceramics, drawing, painting, photography, sculpture and video in the Program in Visual Arts in the Lewis Center for the Arts. As part of the exhibition, a video screening will be held at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 3, in the Stewart Film Theater.

Chyba lecture examines arms control challenge

Princeton scholar and security expert Christopher Chyba will present a talk on “Arms Control Challenges for the Incoming Administration” at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 4, in 16 Robertson Hall.

Chyba is a professor of astrophysical sciences and international affairs and directs the Program on Science and Global Security in the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs. His security-related research emphasizes nuclear and biological weapons policy, proliferation and terrorism.

Prior to coming to Princeton in 2005, Chyba co-directed Stanford University’s Center for International Security and Cooperation and was an associate professor of geological and environmental sciences. He previously was a White House Fellow and served as director for international environmental affairs with the National Security Council. He also worked in the White House Office of Science and Technology as energy liaison and as a consultant, drafting President Bill Clinton’s directive on responding to emerging infectious diseases and a report on preparing for biological terrorism.

In 1996, Chyba received the Presidential Early Career Award “for demonstrating exceptional potential for leadership at the frontiers of science and technology during the 21st century.” In 2001, he received a MacArthur Foundation “genius grant” for his work in both international security and planetary science.

Chyba currently serves on the National Academy of Sciences’ Committee for International Security and Arms Control.

The lecture is sponsored by the Wilson School and the Program on Science and Global Security.

Packer to speak on ‘new liberalism’

The shift from the conservatism dominating American politics during the presidency of George W. Bush to a new brand of liberalism under President Barack Obama is the subject of a lecture by journalist and author George Packer set for 8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 5, in McCosh 50. His talk is titled “The New Liberalism.”

A writer for The New Yorker since 2003, Packer is the author of several works of nonfiction and fiction. “Blood of the Liberals,” a personal account of the history of liberalism in the 20th century, won the 2001 Robert F. Kennedy Book Award. His book “The Assassins’ Gate: America in Iraq” was named one of the 10 best books of 2005 by The New York Times. In 2008, Packer published a play, “Betrayed,” based on a series of interviews he conducted for a New Yorker article on three young Iraqis who risked their lives to help the war effort and whose subsequent request for protection was met with American indifference.

The talk, designated as a Stafford Little Lecture, is sponsored by the University Public Lectures Series.

Senior thesis production: Othello

Senior Kelvin Dinkins as Othello (photo: Sara-Ashley Bisoff)

The Lewis Center for the Arts will kick off the spring semester with a performance of Shakespeare’s “Othello,” directed by Jackie Bello as a senior thesis production for the Program in Theater and Dance. “Othello” will run Friday and Saturday, Feb. 6-7, and Thursday through Saturday, Feb. 12-14, in the Matthews Acting Studio, 185 Nassau St. The performance features senior Kelvin Dinkins (above) as Othello and junior Laura Hankin as Desdemona. For tickets, visit University Ticketing at www.princeton.edu/utickets or call 258-9220.Sara-Ashley Bishoff

Prospect board members sought

Nominations are being sought for the Prospect Association Board, an advisory group of faculty and staff members that serves as an advocate for Prospect House.

Prospect House is the private dining club serving faculty and staff at the University. It is the home of the Garden Room and Tap Room and hosts several special events throughout the year.

Board members attend luncheon meetings at the house during the academic year, supporting management in planning and implementing Prospect’s programs and serving as a liaison between faculty and staff customers.

Those wishing to nominate someone should make sure he or she is interested in serving for four years. Nominators should forward the prospective board member’s name and a paragraph of 100 words or less about the person and why he or she would be a good advocate for Prospect House to Frances Yuan at fyuan@princeton.edu no later than Monday, Feb. 9. Self-nominations are accepted.