The annual UB North Campus Newman Center Bridge Lecture Series begins June 22 and will continue each Wednesday evening until Aug. 10.  The lecture series began in July 2003 as a weeklong series of lectures to bridge the gap between the life of the university and the life of the community. It later grew into a summer series every Wednesday.

Originally planned as a version of the famous Chautauqua experience, it's a sharing of the UB experience at several various levels.  Professors, administrators and coaches set out to enlighten those attending and pique their interests in medicine, science, education and athletics.

This year for the first time all but the final lecture will be given by women from the University at Buffalo.  In addition, the titles of every lecture strongly engage local and international topics of high interest.

The first lecture on Wednesday, June 22, will be Professor Jennifer Read asking "What Makes People Become Addicted to Alcohol?  What Makes Them Stop?"  Further topics include "Combating the Epidemic in Young Adults," "Evaluating Asylum Seekers," "Making Engineering Visible in the Eyes of Elementary Students," "The Pros and Cons of UN Peacekeeping and Intervention in Civil Wars," "The Competitive Advantage" and "Challenges in Reusing Religious Structures Not in Use: The Case of Hindu Temples in  India."  The final lecture, traditionally given by Msgr. Patrick Keleher, director, is "Catholics in Good Standing - What Does That Mean Today."

The lectures begin at 7 p.m., are free and open to the public and share hospitality with wine and cheese and other snacks.

For further information call the Newman Center at 716-636-7495.