The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation's popular speaker series Profiles and Perspectives will take attendees on an exploration of past and present politics during the fall portion of its 2008-2009 season.

Next spring, audiences will travel back to the old west to sit by the campfire to revisit the ethics of the American Cowboy and learn how to apply the straightforward principles in today's business climate and then take off to the red planet for a look at Earth's closest neighbor.

"Profiles and Perspectives is entering its eleventh year of providing informative, thought-provoking and entertaining speakers to residents of southern Oklahoma," said Mary Kate Wilson, Noble Foundation Granting Program Officer and chair of the Profiles and Perspectives Committee. "This year, we've assembled another diverse and interesting group of speakers that I'm confident will impress audiences."

Just in time for this year's presidential election, Profiles and Perspectives kicks off on Tuesday, Aug. 19, when Tom DeFrank presents "Election 2008: The Scene from Washington." DeFrank will dissect the 2008 presidential race, parsing the candidates' positions, examining their campaign strategies and offering an insider's behind-the-scenes view.

As Washington Bureau Chief for the New York Daily News, DeFrank is at the frontline of political news. He was Newsweek's senior White House correspondent for a quarter century and has appeared on many public affairs television programs, including Washington Week in Review, Larry King Live, The Beltway Boys and Inside Politics.

Back by popular demand, J. Rufus Fears, Ph.D., will continue the series on Thursday, Oct. 9, with a look at politics circa 1860. Presenting "Abraham Lincoln: Leadership in a Time of Crisis," Fears will bring Abraham Lincoln to life as he examines Lincoln's leadership during a time of crisis and the lessons learned for today's leaders.

Fears is the David Ross Boyd Professor of Classics at the University of Oklahoma, where he holds the G.T. and Libby Blankenship Chair in the History of Liberty. He is an internationally distinguished scholar and has published numerous books and articles in classical studies and the history of liberty.

After the holiday break, Profiles and Perspectives picks up again with its spring offerings which feature a look at cowboy ethics and a trip to Mars.

On Tuesday, Jan. 20, Jim Owen, founder and president of Cowboy Ethics and Leadership, and managing director of Austin Capital Management, will share the Code of the West and how Americans can rediscover and apply the values that built this country during his presentation "Beyond Cowboy Ethics: A Wake-Up Call for America About National Character."

The 2008-2009 Profiles and Perspectives season concludes on Tuesday, March 3, at the Washington Theater with "Roving Mars: Spirit, Opportunity and the Exploration of the Red Planet" by Dr. Steven Squyres, who is the face and voice of NASA's successful Mars Exploration Rover mission.

Squyres dreamed of the Mars mission in 1987, saw it through from its conception in 1995 to its landing in 2004, and serves as the principal scientist of its $400 million payload. During his presentation, Squyres will tell the behind-the-scenes stories of what it took to get the rovers Spirit and Opportunity to the red planet and what we have learned from them so far.

"From politics past and present to one of the most amazing scientific endeavors of our generation to a social commentary, this season promises audiences unique and outstanding experiences," Wilson said. "We look forward to another successful year of providing one-of-a-kind programs."

The first three programs will begin at 7 p.m. at the Charles B. Goddard Center located at 401 1st Street, S.W., Ardmore, Okla. The final presentation will be made at the Washington Theater, 220 N. Washington Street, Ardmore, Okla.

The 2008-2009 Profiles and Perspectives series is offered at no cost, courtesy of the Noble Foundation. Additional information can be obtained by calling the Noble Foundation at 580.224.6246 or visiting www.noble.org/profiles.

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News Release Issued: August 6, 2008

For media inquiries concerning the Noble Foundation, please contact J. Adam Calaway, Director of Public Relations, at 580.224.6209 or by email at jacalaway@noble.org.

The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation, Inc. (www.noble.org), headquartered in Ardmore, Okla., is a nonprofit organization conducting agricultural, forage improvement and plant biology research; assisting farmers and ranchers through educational and consultative agricultural programs; and providing grants to nonprofit charitable, educational and health organizations.