Peter Pratt is Senior Vice President, Health & Human Services at Public Sector Consultants.

With this year's theme, we turn our attention to the variety of approaches employed in studying the processes and contexts of SLA. Researchers draw on theoretical linguistics, sociolinguistics, anthropology, cognitive science, psychology, educational science, and other disciplines. They gather and analyze data through laboratory research, classroom observations, case studies, ethnographies, and language corpora. They quantify and they interpret. At times it appears that these researchers are looking at completely different subject areas, but all identify themselves as working within the field of SLA. SLRF 2009 asks how these varied methodologies and approaches compose a single "field of SLA". We solicit papers, posters, and colloquia that address this question and that add to our understanding of SLA.

Michigan State University welcomes Consul General Huang Ping, Head of the Chinese Consulate in Chicago, to give a presentation about the trade relationship between the United States and the People's Republic of China. Presented by the Chinese Undergraduate Student Association and the Broad China Business Society with support from Bank of America and CIBER. Location: North Business College Complex, Michigan State University N100 (directions: http://www.bus.msu.edu/information/about/maps/nbusiness.cfm). Admission is free and everyone is invited to attend.

Claes Fornell is Chairman of CFI Group.

Andrew Mangan, Executive Director of the U.S. Business Council for Sustainable Development, presents "Taking Your Business Global Through Foreign Partners."

Richard DeKaser is an economist at National City, now a part of PNC.

The 8th Biennial International Business Institute for Community College Faculty is a unique professional development program designed specifically for community and technical college faculty. The aim of the Institute is to provide participants with the knowledge, experience and resources they need to internationalize general business courses and/or develop specialized international business courses at the two-year college level.

There is a growing recognition of the need for a greater manufacturing share of the economy in order to sustain a high standard of living in the U.S. One way to increase the share of the manufacturing sector is through exports. Many programs and tools exist in the Capital Area to help you start the export process or expand what you are already doing. Michigan State University, including the Broad School of Business and the International Business Center, the Capital Region International Airport, the US Department of Commerce Export Assistance Center, the Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce and other resources in the region are all in play. Learn how these and other resources such as http://globaledge.msu.edu/ may help you now and help your company's future growth plans.

Broad China Business Forum: Global Perspectives in a Challenging Economic Climate Saturday, January 23rd 1:00 - 5:30 MSU Union Ballroom (http://maps.msu.edu/interactive/index.php?location=ub) Keynote speaker: Chinese Consul General Huang Ping FREE Admission The 7th Annual Broad China Business Forum will be hosted by the Broad China Business Society. Esteemed speakers will present on topics of concern to the future of Sino-American economic and business relations. Delivering the keynote speech will be the Chinese Consul General in Chicago, Mr. Huang Ping. The event will begin at one o'clock on Saturday, January 23rd at the MSU Union Ballroom on the North side of the Michigan State University campus in East Lansing, MI. Admission is free.

Scott Monty, Global Digital & Multimedia Communications Manager at Ford Motor Company will speak.