"The Tradition of New England Humor: A Lecture Performance," will be the topic of the University Forum lecture set for Nov. 30.

Dressed in period costume, UNLV English professor Robert Dodge will re-create the essence of the New England Yankee -- one of the oldest, traditional American comic figures. The New England Yankee is exemplified by a person with a rough exterior, but with a heart of gold. Dodge's performance will explain what the tradition of Yankee humor means to America.

On Dec. 5, the University Forum lecture features a slide-illustrated talk titled "Icelandic Winter."

Jeffrey Kottler, a professor at the University of New England in Armindale, Australia, and a former UNLV professor, spent five months in Iceland as a Fulbright Scholar. During his discussion about Iceland, he will show slides he took of erupting volcanoes, remote mountaintops, and distant native villages. Kottler is a widely acclaimed nature photographer and New York Times best-selling author.

Both lectures are set for 7:30 p.m. in the auditorium of the Marjorie Barrick Museum of Natural History. All University Forum lectures are free and open to the public.

The University Forum lecture series is sponsored by the College of Liberal Arts and is underwritten by the UNLV Foundation. For more information on the series,call 895-3401 or send an E-mail to: forum@nevada.edu.