Researchers at University of Iowa and colleagues found that pigeons, like humans, use selective attention to look at specific features of an object. The ability to locate unique signs helps the birds accomplish the task of sorting objects just like humans.

"Gifts and Grants" is a roundup of research grants and other funding obtained by University of Iowa faculty, staff, and students in support of work across disciplines—from the sciences to the arts and humanities—that will be published regularly in Iowa Now.

The annual University of Iowa Celebration of Excellence and Achievement Among Women presents some of the university's top honors for faculty and staff, as well as scholarships for promising students.

The Fry Street Quartet will join physicist Robert Davies and composer Laura Kaminsky in presenting "The Crossroads Project," an interdisciplinary program using a blend of science, music performance, and original art to explores issues related to climate change and sustainability, at 7:30 p.m. April 8.

The University of Iowa Department of Theatre Arts will produce "Slaughter City," a work by University of Iowa Playwrights Workshop Graduate Naomi Wallace, as its next Mainstage production. "Slaughter City" will be on stage at 8 p.m. April 10-12 and April 16-19, and at 2 p.m. April 13 and 20.

Cynthia Brinich-Langlois, Virginia A. Myers Visiting Assistant Professor in Printmaking, will give a lecture at 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 9, in Room 116 Art Building West. She will show her work in the Ark Gallery of Studio Arts Building April 7-12.

Pinecone or pine nut? Friend or foe? Distinguishing between the two requires that we pay special attention to the telltale characteristics of each. And humans aren’t the only ones up to the task. According to UI researchers, pigeons share our ability to place everyday things in categories. Results are published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology.

Robert Cargill, UI assistant professor of classics, casts doubt on a report that two European historians have located the so-called Holy Grail, the goblet Jesus used at the Last Supper.

Writers’ Workshop graduate Marcus Burke will read from his new novel, "Team Seven," at 7 p.m. Monday, April 7, in a free reading at Prairie Lights Books in downtown Iowa City. The reading also will be streamed live on the University of Iowa Writing University website.

Rabun Taylor, associate professor at the University of Texas at Austin, will present a lecture titled “Between Babylon, Rome, and Judaea: Gardens and Quotation at the Palaces of Herod the Great” at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, April 3, in 116 Art Building West.

The Mission Creek Festival and Prairie Lights Books will present a free reading by Writers' Workshop alumnus Kyle Minor and University of Iowa Nonfiction Writing Program alumna Angela Pelster at 6 p.m. Thursday, April 3, in Prairie Lights Books in downtown Iowa City. The reading also will be streamed live on the University of Iowa Writing University website.

The University of Iowa Center for Human Rights will host a discussion examining current events in Ukraine featuring three experts from among UI faculty. The discussion will be Wednesday, April 9, at 2 p.m. in Room C31 Pomerantz Center on the UI campus.