The Friends of MSU Library will host their annual Distinctive Dialogues event on Tuesday, April 7 at the Hilton Garden Inn in Bozeman. A social hour with no-host bar will begin at 6:30 p.m. with dialogues and appetizers to follow at 7:00 p.m.

"Serendipity Hour"
After the first hour of conversation, table hosts will rotate to another table. You'll have the opportunity to hear from TWO local experts!*
*Wine tables excluded

Tickets are $25 and must be purchased in advance. For reservations, please call 406-994-3119 by April 1.

Thanks to our event sponsors: Toyota of Bozeman, Ressler-Chevrolet of Bozeman, and Dr. Marilyn Sue and Jim Hamilton

This year's 19 tables are:

1. The Business of Photography -- Tools & Tips
Felix Marquez
Professional Photographer
Shutterbugs, aspiring, and professional photographers alike will enjoy this lively and informative discussion about how to navigate the ever-changing freelance business environment. Felix Marquez is a world-renowned photographer whose subjects have included Mother Teresa, Aretha Franklin, Olympic athletes, and Super Bowl football players. Mr. Marquez will share the strategy he has followed in this competitive market, and will bring some of the tools he uses while on assignment.

2. Building a Better Bozeman: How to Create a Stronger and More Vibrant Community
Chris Mehl
Bozeman City Commissioner
Bozeman is booming, leading to many challenges and opportunities. Chris will lead a lively discussion about our community's future--what's going right and wrong--encouraging everyone at the table to provide ideas and criticism for how to best develop and meet goals that will further improve our city.

3. Archaeology and Travels in the Western Cape, South Africa
Jack Fisher, Ph.D.
MSU Anthropology Professor
Join archaeologist Jack Fisher of Montana State University for an evening of adventure. Fisher will discuss and show photos of his archaeological research, carried out in a long-term collaboration with archaeologists at the University of Cape Town, into the Later Stone Age peoples of the Western Cape, South Africa. He'll also discuss and show photos of ancient rock art from the Western Cape, along with photos of landscapes, flora, and fauna of that area.

4. Preserving and Imagining Madison Buffalo Jump as an Anchor for Development of Montana's First National Heritage Area
Bill Goold
M.A., Native American Studies; Founder of the Friends of Madison Buffalo Jump
In small bands of as few as 20 tribal members on foot, Native Americans successfully hunted huge herds of bison at Madison Buffalo Jump, located 27 miles northwest of Bozeman.  This is a compelling example of Indigenous knowledge and ingenuity, which has been discounted for centuries.  Join Bill Goold as he discusses how this remarkable site should be preserved. Learn about the opportunity to inform future generations about the different ways in which diverse cultures across 10,000 years of time have met the common challenge of surviving and thriving in the often harsh, unforgiving habitat of the Northern Plains.

5. Learning from Brad Pitt
Robert Bennett, Ph.D.
MSU English Professor
People often have strong reactions to Brad Pitt, even if their reaction is to try to ignore him. But you really can't, can you? He is such a global phenomenon, from the silver screen to the grocery store tabloids, that--love him or hate him--it is hard to not have some kind of opinion about him. Bring your own opinions, and discuss withDeconstructing Brad Pitt co-author Robert Bennett who Brad Pitt really is, why he has become such a global celebrity, and what his acting, celebrity, and humanitarian work have to teach us about the world in which we live.

6. Honey Bee Pollinator Health
Michelle Flenniken, Ph.D.
MSU Plant Sciences Professor
Honey bees are important pollinators of agricultural crops and plant species that enhance the biodiversity of both agricultural and non-agricultural environments. Recent increased losses of honey bee colonies in North America and Europe have alarmed both citizens and scientists. Michelle is a microbiologist/virology at MSU investigating honey bee colony health. She looks forward to fielding questions and participating in discussions regarding honey bee colony health and bee biology.

7. Chainsaw Carving
Andrew Newman
Owner & Lead Carpenter, Stellar Construction
Learn the techniques and processes of turning a log into a piece of art!  Andrew Newman, owner and lead carpenter at Stellar Construction, will lead a discussion focused on proportions and making the eye believe what it sees. Walk away with a working knowledge of the tools and trees of the trade.

8. Greenhouses Can Fool Mother Nature
Ann Schrader
Master Gardener
We've all seen those adorable greenhouses at Ace Owenhouse or in our neighbors' back yards.  Some of us are considering purchasing one, while others have just ordered one and are looking to set it up. Now what? Meet master gardener Ann Schrader and discuss topics such as selecting the right greenhouse for your needs, preparing your new greenhouse for planting, plant selection, and pest control.

9. Farm-to-Cup Coffee for the Everyday Adventurer
Natalie Van Dusen
Little Red Wagon Coffee Roasters
Coffee matters. As second largest commodity in the world (behind oil) the production and consumption of coffee affects millions of lives globally.  Discover how a curiosity driven approach to create a better cup of coffee led one Bozeman entrepreneur to a new understanding a coffee bean's complex journey from farm-to-cup and the lives touched along the way. Discussion will focus on the past, present and future of coffee and its unique role in today's global society. Explore how a deeper knowledge of what's in your cup may cause you to rethink what you consume. Learn how you might not have to sacrifice the quality of your coffee in your busy lifestyle through some fun tips and tricks.

10. Animal Minds & Communication
Sara Waller, Ph.D.
MSU Philosophy Professor
Do dolphins have names? How do wolf packs cooperate when raising young? Do animals have language? Humans are cooperative predators, and there is reason to believe that we can communicate with other cooperative predators because evolution put similar pressures on all of us. Join MSU professor Sara Waller for a fascinating discussion on the questions and implications that emerge from research in animal vocalization and communication.

11. The 4-H Western Heritage Project: Discovering the History of the American Frontier through Experiential Learning
Todd Kesner
Interim Director, Montana 4-H Center for Youth Development
The 4-H Western Heritage Project is a combination of 4-H shooting sports and a study of the American frontier West from 1860-1900. Six years ago, table host Todd Kesner developed this project, which utilizes participatory living history as a teaching/learning methodology where youth, ages 10 - 19, become living historians in dress, persona, and competition. Don't miss the chance to have a lively discussion about this project that helps members find history relevant to their daily lives.

12. What's Your Story?
Denise Malloy
Columnist and Author
Have you ever dreamed of putting your ideas on paper? Not sure how to begin? Join columnist Denise Malloy for a lively discussion on ways to start (and keep) writing.

13. The World of Wine
Doug Badenoch
The Wine Gallery
In just a few steps, you will learn how to evaluate any wine you taste. Join The Wine Gallery Owner Doug Badenoch for a wine tasting and an overview of how to score wines like a professional.
**This table will not be part of the "Serendipity Hour"

14. The World of Wine
Tiffany Olson
The Wine Gallery
In just a few steps, you will learn how to evaluate any wine you taste. Join Sommelier and Certified Wine Educator Tiffany Olson for a wine tasting and an overview of how to score wines like a professional.
**This table will not be part of the "Serendipity Hour"

15. The Shifting Narrative of "Wild" and "Wilderness"
Miles Nolte
MSU English Instructor
Contemporary American culture fetishizes the concept of wilderness. What was once seen as frightening, foreboding, dangerous, and powerful is now seen as idyllic, peaceful, transcendent, and fragile. These shifts in our cultural attitudes toward the concept of wilderness have coincided with the conquest and eradication of wilderness spaces. Join MSU English Instructor Miles Nolte in a conversation about how our attitudes and mythologies of wild places have changed now that we see wilderness and something to be saved rather than conquered.

16. What is Mindfulness?
Beth Renick
MPH, CHES, Founder of Health in Mind
Nearly three decades of scientific research worldwide suggests that training in mindfulness can positively and often profoundly affect one's ability to reduce medical symptoms and psychological distress while learning to live life more fully. Practicing mindfulness means we live our lives in the present moment with awareness instead of being "on automatic pilot." Join Beth Renick and learn how you can experience life more fully by making a conscious choice to be in the present moment in the "right here and now."

17. Back Country Pack Trips
Bob Hoverson
Forest Service Retiree
Engage in conversation about how and where to go to experience Montana's pristine wilderness and back country via horseback with emphasis on the Bob Marshall Wilderness.  Join Bob Hoverson, who spent 23 years managing the Forest Service Northern Region Pack Train, and receive information on sources of quality equipment, mandatory rules and regulations, and training opportunities.

18. The Science of Skis
Eric Newman
Founder & Owner, Seneca Boards
Seneca Boards has been designing and manufacturing skis for over 5 years in Bozeman. With over 300 custom ski designs developed, we have become an innovator in ski design. This talk will go through explanations of current technology, how it affects a skis performance, and what the science behind skiing and ski design actually is.

19. Birding Southwest Montana's Hot Spots
Loreene Reid
President, Sacajawea Audubon
Birds are everywhere. A birdwatcher will tell you that there's a ton of fun to be had identifying birds in or outside your yard. Spend an evening with Loreene Reid, Sacajawea Audubon president, as she shares some favorite birding hot spots of southwest Montana.