Ottawa University announces speaker

Author Dinesh DâÂÂSouza will discuss âÂÂWhatâÂÂs so Great About America,â based on his book of the same title, at a luncheon Tuesday at Overland Park Marriott. The lecture is part of Ottawa UniversityâÂÂs Faith, Learning and Life Presidential Lecture Series.

DâÂÂSouzaâÂÂs book examines various critiques of America and makes a case for intelligent patriotism. After the presentation, Vern Barnet, minister in residence for the Center for Religious Experience and Study and OU adjunct professor, will lead a discussion.

DâÂÂSouza will also speak Tuesday evening at OU about race, mascots and liberal education.

To attend the luncheon, call Tom Edwards at (913) 451-0120, Ext. 26. The cost is $35, and seating is limited.

New snake species named for KU alumnus

A new species of snake has been discovered in north-central Louisiana and eastern Texas. The snake, discovered by Frank T. Burbank, a professor at the College of Staten Island-CUNY, is called the SlowinskiâÂÂs corn snake.

The new snake species was named in memory of the late Joseph B. Slowinski, who was curator of herpetology at the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco and a close friend of Burbank. Slowinski received his bachelorâÂÂs degree from Kansas University in 1984. He died in 2001 after being bitten by a krait in Burma.

Information about the snake appears in the Dec. 1 issue of âÂÂMolecular Phylogenetics and Evolution.âÂÂ