| September |
 |
| Tuesday, September 8th |
9:30 a.m.
Ford Hall***
Room 102
Multipurpose Room
|
|
Coffee & Conversation
Our opening session will include refreshments provided by the Social Committee led by Co-Directors Irene Konopasek and Evelynn Smith.
(***Note: Ford Hall is the brand new building between Smullin Hall and State Street)
|
10:00 a.m.
Room B-17
Smullin Hall
|
|
New Member Introductions and Orientation
We will be welcomed to Fall Semester by Gary Beck, our Executive Director. Introduction of new ICL members will follow, coordinated by Louise Schroeder, our Director of Membership Services. This session concludes with new and returning member orientation, coordinated by members of the ICL Executive Board.
|
11:00 a.m.
Room B-17
Smullin Hall
|
|
It’s a bird, it’s a plane…..it’s a bird!
ICL member Phil Caudill will explore the wonderful world of bird-watching in the Willamette Valley. He will go over the basics of bird identification with photos and descriptions of common birds of Oregon, some of the “hot” spots for bird-watching in the Valley, how to select a pair of binoculars, and some facts about field guides. Phil will also share with us some of the “special” birds he has seen in his international travels. If you like birds and are a casual or not-so-casual “birder,” this hour should be a “fowl” experience.
Phil has been an avid bird-watcher for many years and volunteers for Salem Audubon Society, teaching Beginning Bird Identification in the Marion/Polk County schools.
|
1:00 p.m.
Room B-17
Smullin Hall
|
|
The Willamette Community
We will meet David Douglass, the Interim Dean of the College of Liberal Arts, who will help us understand the concept of “The Willamette Community” and will update us on recent changes at Willamette. For an outline of Dr. Douglass's presentation, click here. (Unfortunately, this outline cannot convey the richness of Dr. Douglass's presentation. It's the best we could do. You had to be there.)
|
2:00 a.m.
Room B-17
Smullin Hall
|
|
The Rare Earth Hypothesis
The universe is incredibly large, suggesting that intelligent life might be rather commonplace. But what factors might influence the development of complex life, and just how pervasive might that be? We will explore the "Rare Earth Hypothesis," examining factors which appear to be important to the development of complex life in the universe, and which suggest that our personal planet Earth is a very special place. ICL member George Adkins is our presenter.
The book exploring this topic in detail is available at http://www.amazon.com/Rare-Earth-Complex-Uncommon-Universe/dp/0387987010
|
|
| Thursday, September 10th |
10:00 a.m.
Hudson Hall
|
|
My Life in a Vacuum Tube, or Radio: How It Has Destroyed My Life!
We will hear stories from Ken Cartwright, radio broadcaster, luthier*, festival producer, musician and witness for a community. Ken will perform on several instruments, and will give a musical travelogue of his life and varied interests. Ken is owner and Program Director of AM 1620 KENC Radio in the Stayton/Sublimity area, and a well known Bluegrass musician and producer.
*maker of stringed instruments
|
1:00 p.m.
Room B-17
Smullin Hall
|
|
It takes a Village to Raise a Vegetable
Peter Henry, WU student and recipient of a Lilly Grant during the summer of 2009, will discuss his summer's project on urban community gardens.
Read Wikipedia's excellent article on Community Gardening at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Community_gardening
|
2:00 p.m.
Room B-17
Smullin Hall
|
|
Sports and Popular Culture
Statesman Journal reporter Gary Horowitz joins us to talk about sports as an expression of popular culture. He will focus on what drew him to this profession, how he decides what events to cover, and the Fall college football outlook. Gary looks forward to your questions and a lively discussion.
|
|
| Tuesday, September 15th |
10:00 a.m.
Room B-17
Smullin Hall |
|
Leonardo da Vinci: The Invention of Beauty
Ricardo De Mambro Santos, WU Professor of Art History, will explore one of Leonardo da Vinci's most important contributions to Renaissance Art, the creation of new visual codes to fully represent natural phenomena in all their astonishing variety. The first such code for discussion is Leonardo’s depictions of nature, focusing primarily on his representations of the human body, as expressed in his so-called “Vitruvian Man” and the “Mona Lisa.” Ricardo will then address one of the most debatable innovations in Leonardo’s art, his so-called “ridiculous pictures,” in an attempt to analyze the creation of deformed faces as the intentional result of a new aesthetic concept of “beauty.” Ricardo, a recent recruit to WU's Faculty, is an internationally recognized expert in Italian and European Renaissance Art. He is currently writing a book on Leonardo's activities in Rome.
|
1:00 p.m.
Room B-17
Smullin Hall
|
|
Great Decisions 2009: Cuba on the Verge
Cuba today is torn between socialism and capitalism. With the Fidel Castro era coming to an end, what is the next step for Cuba? Fidel's brother, Raul, has instituted a number of reforms. Is a new Cuba policy for the U.S. on the horizon? Will we continue our long history of ostracizing our neighbor–or will we work to build a relationship that could benefit both countries? WU Professor Bill Smaldone will be our presenter. (The Foreign Policy Association updated its Great Decisions secton on Cuba in the Spring of 2009. Read the update at http://www.fpa.org/topics_info2414/topics_info_show.htm?doc_id=858687).
|
3:00 p.m.
Room B-17
Smullin Hall
|
|
Supplemental Session: Internet Access for ICL Members
This is the first of two supplemental sessions where ICL volunteers will be available to assist ICL members who do not have computer access in learning to use the internet at WU to view current schedules, newsletters, etc. A good primer on the Internet can be found at http://netforbeginners.about.com/cs/internet101/a/inet_handbook.htm.
|
|
| Thursday, September 17th |
10:00 a.m.
Room B-17
Smullin Hall
|
|
Recent Advances in Nephrology and Urology
Dr. Jennifer Neahring will emphasize the causes and prevention of kidney failure, together with the management of hypertension, particularly as applied to the kidneys. She will also touch on the treatment of established kidney failure, with new trends in dialysis and kidney transplantation.
Dr. David Elmgren will describe advances in the diagnosis and management of prostate cancer, male and female urinary incontinence, and minimally invasive surgery for kidney cancer.
Drs. Neahring and Elmgren are both long-established practitioners of their specialties in Salem. This presentation is the 6th in a continuing series, "Recent Advances In Medicine."
|
1:00 p.m.
Room B-17
Smullin Hall
|
|
The Symphony Video Series: Nielsen and Sibelius
The symphonic composers of central Europe dominated the genre until the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Then the symphony became increasingly a global phenomenon. Here we will explore the work of two Scandinavian composers, Carl Nielsen and Jean Sibelius, both of whom showed a strong sense of place.
Our presenter is ICL member Virginia Corrie-Cozart.
|
2:00 p.m.
Room B-17
Smullin Hall
|
|
Economics 101: A Mini-Series
Part 1– Introduction
In this first of a six part series introducing basic economics, ICL member Mark Kasoff will focus on how a market economy works. Topics will include scarcity, opportunity cost, and the circular flow of income and product at the macro level.
|
|
| Tuesday, September 22nd |
10:00 a.m.
Room B-17
Smullin Hall
|
|
Discovering the Tomb of Tutankhamen
Using many of the actual excavation photographs from the 1920s, Willamette Professor Ann M. Nicgorski will present Howard Carter's discovery of the famous tomb of the boy pharaoh Tutankhamen, the only royal Egyptian burial to have survived looting in antiquity. As we explore the tomb with its four chambers and thousands of objects, we will stop along the way for a close examination of selected artworks such as the painted chest, the golden throne, an alabaster perfume jar, the gold coffin and the death mask, the Anubis shrine, and the canopic shrine. The study of these objects will provide an introduction to ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics, the stylistic principles of Egyptian art, as well as Egyptian iconography, religion, and burial practices. Ann Nicgorski is Professor of Art History and Archaeology at Willamette University.
|
1:00 p.m.
Room B-17
Smullin Hall
|
|
Great Decisions: The U.S. and Rising Powers
In the 21st Century there is more global competition for power and resources than previously. In addition to the older major powers, we will consider India, China, Brazil, Egypt, Indonesia, and South Africa amongst others. Are they best seen as competitors or as collaborators in meeting world issues? In this foreign policy discussion we will use a video prepared by the Foreign Policy Association, followed by a general class discussion led by ICL member Phil Hanni. As you prepare, we refer you to the Great Decisions briefing book and the related materials found at the end, as well as critical reading of newspapers.
Read the Foreign Policy Association's Spring Update at http://www.fpa.org/topics_info2414/topics_info_show.htm?doc_id=858671.
|
|
| Thursday, September 24th |
10:00 a.m.
Room B-17
Smullin Hall
|
|
An Introduction to Geology – Groundwater
The Nature of Earth video series introduces you to physical geology, the study of Earth's minerals, rocks, soils, and the processes that operate on them through time. Our lectures this term concentrate on Groundwater – a non-renewable resource.
Ancient Greeks were convinced all water falling as rain ran off into streams and rivers. Aristotle thought Earth was hollow with a cavity so large that it had its own internal weather system, explaining "springs" as the "overflow" from torrential downpours that occurred inside Earth. Romans built aqueducts to carry water from the mountain streams to their cities, not realizing a store-house of water was theirs for the digging of a well. What say you about groundwater – it’s a big underground lake? – it’s there forever?- lean in, listen up.
Today our ICL presenter is Caroline Milbank and our Lecturer is John Renton, Ph.D., West Virginia University.
|
11:00 a.m.
Room B-17
Smullin Hall
|
|
Economics 101: A Mini-Series
Part 2– Microeconomics
Session 2 will deal with how individual markets work through the interaction of demand and supply. Individual and market demand and supply curves will be derived to show how equilibrium prices charged and quantities consumed are determined. ICL member Mark Kasoff is our presenter.
Wikipedia has a concise article on Microeconomics at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microeconomics.
|
1:00 p.m.
Room B-17
Smullin Hall
|
|
Geology, Geomorphology and Hydrology of the Luckiamute River Basin, Polk and Benton Counties, Oregon
Mountainous watersheds, less than 250,000 acres (~100,000 hectares), are fundamental landscape elements that form an important setting for local ecological interactions, human occupation, and water resource development. As components of the global hydrosphere, they encompass a set of physical and biological variables that interact via complex systems response and interdependent feedback mechanisms. Upland watersheds also represent the foundational components for mass sediment transfer from continental regions to ocean basins. Study of the production, transport, and storage of sediment in drainage basins is essential for deciphering their evolution and geomorphic behavior. As such, the understanding of hydrogeomorphic variables and related process interactions is critical for designing sustainable water resource and habitat conservation plans.
This presentation by Western Oregon University Associate Professor of Geology, Stephen Taylor, will provide a case-study of the geology, geomorphology, and hydrology of the Luckiamute Watershed in Polk and Benton Counties, Oregon. This seventh-order watershed drains eastward from the Coast Range into the Willamette River and occupies a total drainage area of 815 sq. km. The Luckiamute is associated with a unique combination of geomorphic and land-use conditions that are well suited for the study of interdependent watershed variables. The discussion will include an overview of the regional hydrogeology and an assessment of the influence of varying bedrock lithology on sediment transport and storage mechanisms.
You can read Professor Taylor's course on Hydrology at http://www.wou.edu/las/physci/taylor/hydro/g476w08.htm.
|
|
| Tuesday, September 29th |
10:00 a.m.
Room B-17
Smullin Hall
|
|
Economics 101: A Mini-Series
Part 3–Macroeconomics
In Session 3, ICL member Mark Kasoff will deal with determinants of total national income and product and the business cycle. Topics include economic growth, unemployment, inflation, stagflation, interest rates, and the importance of international trade.
Wikipedia has a concise article on Macroeconomics at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macroeconomics.
|
11:00 a.m.
Room B-17
Smullin Hall
|
|
An Introduction to Geology – Groundwater Production
The Nature of Earth video series introduces you to physical geology, the study of Earth's minerals, rocks, soils, and the processes that operate on them through time. Our lectures this term concentrate on Groundwater – a non-renewable resource. Today’s topics include: regional water tables, perched or hanging water tables, confirmed aquifers and municipal water supplies. Our ICL presenters are Karen and Edward Bender and our Lecturer is John Renton, Ph.D., West Virginia University.
|
1:00 p.m.
Room B-17
Smullin Hall
|
|
Defeating the Grim Reaper: One Fool’s Quest for Immortality
Join one poor fool as he stumbles through the intricacies of the cells which make us who we are, hoping to leave as his legacy to humanity the dictum that the only sure thing is taxes. On the way he will find himself caught up in the life-death struggle in every cell, learn how selfish DNA really is, and discover how evolution has jury-rigged an organism that may not have to be - ultimately - mortal. It is a story of many episodes, not a few surprises, and the first rays of hope that this poor fool's quest might eventually be achieved, albeit not by him. And so this day he begins episode 1.
Art Souther who presented our mini-course on Molecular Biology last spring, returns for this presentation.
|
|
