All the Life-Long Learning Lectures are free and open to the public. Lectures typically last 1 hour with 30 minutes of Q&A. For a campus map, click here.
Thursday, September 17, 7:00 pm, 130 Noble Hall
Growing up in Nazi Germany by Profs. Jurgen Herbst and Ursula Mahlendorf
Join us for a discussion with two professors who experienced very different childhoods and went on to academic achievement in American universities. Their autobiographies, Mahlendorf’s “The Shame of Survival” and Herbst’s “A German Requiem,” offer different insights into one of the darkest periods in human history.
Thursday, September 24, 7:00 pm, Community Concert Hall at Fort Lewis College
The Beast in the Garden by David Baron
Science journalist and broadcaster, David Baron is this year’s featured author (“The Beast in the Garden: A modern parable of man and nature”) for FLC and Durango Reads (Common Reading Experience and the Durango Public Library). Baron will moderate a panel discussion with Marc Bekoff, author of Listening to Cougar” and “The Emotional Lives of Animals,” Steve Pavlik, Northwest Indian College faculty member, and representatives from the Division of Wildlife and the local ranching community. See the FLC Common Reading Experience website for details.
Thursday, October 1, 7:00 pm, 130 Noble Hall
Rewilding North America by Dave Foreman
Co-founder of Earth First, founder of Wildlands Project, editor and publisher of Wild Earth, former Sierra Club Board Member, Foreman has been an environmental activist his whole life. Author of “Eco-Defense” and the recent “Rewilding North America: A Vision for Conservation in the 21st Century,” Foreman will discuss, among other things, the importance of conservation biology.
Thursday, October 8, 7:00 pm, 130 Noble Hall
Four-Corners Air Quality and Our Health co-sponsored by the League of Women Voters of La Plata County, San Juan Citizen’s Alliance, and Mountain Studies Institute
Medical and air quality experts will discuss the issue of air contaminants in our region, covey the origin of these pollutants and the health hazards posed by their presence. Speakers will provide helpful advice for potential solutions.
Thursday, October 15, 7:00 pm, 130 Noble Hall
Creating Continuity: South American Natives’ Changing Relationships with “Ruins” and the Archaeological Record” by Kathleen Fine-Dare, Ph.D.
Throughout the Americas, indigenous peoples are providing rich critiques of archaeological and museum practices in order to improve accuracy and to redress imbalances in power over cultural and historical representation. Prof. Fine-Dare will draw from her research regarding the Ecuadorian pre-Inca site of Tulipe concerning the display of human remains in Argentina and also from examples in Bolivia and Peru.
Thursday, October 22, 7:00 pm, 130 Noble Hall
Tulips: The world’s most treacherous flower by Mike Smedley
Humor columnist and passionate gardener, Mike Smedley will explore the history and intrigue of the flower that destroyed empires, bankrupted economies, and fueled lust with its irresistible beauty. This photo-rich presentation will include showcasing the bet tulips for the Four Corners’ harsh climates and other colorful bulbs for spring blooming.
Thursday, October 29, 7:00 pm, 130 Noble Hall
Abandoned America: The Meaning of Ghost Towns, Ruins, and Lost Places by Kevin Britz, Ph.D.
Ghost towns are more than just relics of the old West. Kevin Britz, Director of the Center of Southwest Studies, will look at our fascination for abandoned places in America and explore the cultural meaning of the phenomenon through artistic depictions and their role as tourist attractions. The talk will conclude with an examination of the modern phenomenon called urban exploration.
Thursday, November 5, 7:00 pm, 130 Noble Hall
Slightly Out of Focus by Dean Conger
Award-winning photojournalist and retired National Geographic photographer, Dean Conger will give another LLL presentation on contemporary image makers. Mulling over the prospect, Conger says: “I lie awake at night wondering what this talk will be. Ideas float around in my head. What great photos will I see tomorrow, next month? Weird, Wall Street, poverty, war, beauty? So… trust me. This is entertainment, and everything will come into focus.”
Thursday, November 12, 7:00 pm, 130 Noble Hall
Empowerment: One Heart at a Time by Ellen and Ross Park
From recent college graduates to retiring baby-boomers, there is a trend from the corporate table to humanitarian ranks – from beneficiary to benefactor. Disenchanted with the money chase or looking to give back, each group is searching for a way to make a difference. Ellen and Ross Park describe their journey from hi-tech business executives to retirees and offer suggestions on how to weave philanthropy into an active life.
Thursday, November 17, 7:00 pm, 130 Noble Hall
The Devil is in the Numbers by Katherine Burgess, Ph.D.
Recently publicly exposed ethical lapses by corporations and individuals have been in the news. This talk will focus on the ethics inherent in business principles as reflected in numerical standards and explore the relationship between accounting and accountability. Burgess earned her doctoral degree from the University of Texas where she specialized in the study of ethics, aesthetics, and the philosophy and culture of ancient Greece.
