During this year's Martin Luther King (MLK), Jr. Day celebration, students will get the opportunity to see what they would look like if they were another race.

"The Human Race Machine," a computer-generated morphing machine, will allow participants to sit in front of a screen and alter their facial features to look like a member of another race.

"It will let you see what would make you look most East Asian or African," Mark Shriver, an event coordinator, said.

He added there will be a monitor allowing the audience around the participant to also view the morphing.

This and other activities exploring race and color will be located in the HUB-Robeson Center's Galbraith Lounge throughout next week, Naomi Altman, another event coordinator, said.

Another exhibit will uncover the ancestry of various students and professors who previously underwent genetic testing. Photos of those tested will be arranged on a poster, with the results located underneath.

Also at the HUB, a reflect-o-meter will allow participants to assess their skin color, and the award-winning documentary Motherland: A Genetic Journey will be available for viewing.

Shriver said this is the first year these activities have been a part of MLK celebration at Penn State.

"We didn't do anything like this last year, ... not anything on a biological basis," he said.

On Sunday, a MLK remembrance march will take place at 6 p.m. at the entrance of the Pattee Library, sponsored by the Undergraduate Student Government (USG).

A Day of Service will take place on Monday, the official MLK Day, also sponsored by USG.

"The whole idea of the Monday Day of Service is to get people out into the community in the spirit of Dr. King," said Thomas Poole, associate vice provost for educational equity. "I would certainly hope that event would attract the largest number of people throughout the day."

Poole added that although Penn State traditionally celebrates a day of service on MLK Day, he hopes this year will have the most success.

"It would be great if we could go way over the top," he said.

Finally, poet Nikki Giovanni will speak at 7 p.m. Monday at Eisenhower Auditorium.

"It will be a nice celebration event that will draw the day to a close, and help us reflect," Poole said.

Shriver said one of the highlights of the MLK Day celebration will be Tuesday night's panel discussion on race at 8 p.m. in 101 Thomas.

"The panel discussion should be a good point at which, if people are really curious about this stuff, we will have a chance to really explain what we mean," he said, adding that students would have the opportunity to ask questions and openly express their views.