It’s one thing to rub elbows with officials and researchers working at the cutting edge of transportation solutions. But meeting Congressman Earl Blumenauer, a leader in urban livability policies? That was more than Joe McAndrew and Jessica Bloomfield could have hoped for.

The University of Oregon Athletic Department is offering a discount to all faculty, staff and family members for tickets to upcoming men's basketball games. Currently 16th in the nation, the Ducks match up against the University of Washington at 4 p.m. Saturday in Matthew Knight Arena. The discounted rate is about $8 off tickets for that contest and the Ducks-Stanford game Feb. 23 at the arena.

Check your cupboards and clear out your pantry. Those long-forgotten cans of tuna and packages of rice now have a purpose – the Governor's State Employees Food Drive will begin Jan. 28 and continue through March 1.

The University of Oregon School of Music and Dance will host a video master class with Professor Boris Berman of Yale University, a world-renowned specialist on the work of Sergei Prokofiev. Audiences will also have opportunities to see performances by the Oregon Wind Ensemble and UO jazz combos. The UO School of Music and Dance is located in the Frohnmayer Music Building on the UO campus, 961 E. 18th Ave, Eugene. For more information or for a complete calendar of events, call 541-346-5678 or visit music.uoregon.edu.

The goal is clear: Double the number of college degrees in science, technology, engineering and math awarded in Oregon by the year 2030. But how do we get there? Oregon business and education leaders set the target in response to a national problem with student proficiency in STEM studies and a shortage of qualified college graduates pursuing those careers. And a new center at the University of Oregon has accepted the challenge, building sweeping partnerships to improve education and training for future STEM technicians, scientists, engineers and mathematicians.