Top 5 events for week of March 21

Hello, studiers and academics (who like to get out and mingle). We've got a new treat for you.

Connect2Mason’s Top 5 are our staff's picks for the week's best academic and learning events. Every Monday, C2M will post a new Top 5 which will highlight some of the most interesting, informational and creative academic events going on at campus this week.

We'll likely be at some of them. If you see us, say hi. We're friendly folks.

Monday

War on the Silver Screen Film Festival: Stop Loss

WHAT: Stop-Loss (2008) is a movie about a veteran soldier who returns from a completed tour of duty in Iraq and learns he must return back to field duty. Stop-Loss stars Ryan Phillipe, Abbie Cornish and Joseph Gordon-Levitt. The movie will be introduced by a Mason historian and followed by an audience discussion.

WHEN: 7:00-10:00 p.m.

WHERE: Johnson Center Cinema

COST: Free

MORE INFO: Meredith Lair, (703) 993-2159; History Website

EXTRA: The Silver Screen Film Festival will run for three days in the Johnson Center Cinema. Coming Home (1978) with Jane Fonda, Jon Voight and Bruce Dern will be shown on Tuesday and The Best Years of Our Lives (1946) with Fredric March, Dana Andrews and Myrna Loy will be shown on Wednesday.

Tuesday

The Financial Crisis: Where it came from and where we are headed

WHAT: George Mason economics professor Tyler Cowen will talk about the roots of the current financial crises and what direction the economy will take in the future. Cowen is the fifth speaker in the Vision Series this school year. Cowen has written columns for the New York Times and Slate.

WHEN: 7:00 p.m.

WHERE: Hylton Performing Arts Center, Merchant Hall, Prince William Campus

COST: Free

MORE INFO: Hylton Center

Wednesday

Astronomy Observing Session

WHAT: Here is a chance to catch a glimpse of the skies by peering into Mason’s primary telescope in the observatory.

WHEN: 8:30 p.m. (The observing session will be canceled if the sky is more than half overcast one hour before the session is scheduled to begin.)

WHERE: Research 1, Observatory (Guests will be met in the lobby by the main elevators)

COST: Free

MORE INFO: Harold Geller, (703) 993-1276

EXTRA: If you’re unable to attend this time, don’t worry because the observing sessions occur twice a month.
 

Thursday

Threads of Hope Documentary Showing

WHAT: Threads of Hope documents the Arpillera movement in Chile when many Chileans “disappeared” during Augusto Pinochet’s dictatorship in Chile (1973-1990). Following the showing there will be a guided tour of an arpillera exhibit. Arpilleras are small hand-sewn tapestries created by women to commemorate their relatives who disappeared during Pinchet’s dictatorship.

WHEN: 12:00-2:00 p.m.

WHERE: Research 1, Room 163

COST: Free

MORE INFO: Women and Gender Studies, (703) 993-2896
 

Friday

MC/DC- Mason’s Competition of Dance and Choir

WHAT: If you’re looking for some entertainment to start the weekend, this may be a good option. The Program Board and WGMU are sponsoring a performance competition featuring close to a dozen performances from such Mason groups as GM-Unit, Urbanknowlogy, Breakfamous, and Noteworthy. The competition will be judged by crowd reactions.

WHEN: 9:00-11:00 p.m.

WHERE: Johnson Center Atrium

COST: Free

MORE INFO: Program Board, (703) 993-2925