Thursday, February 2
| 10:00 am-12:00 pm | "Cartography and Data Visualization," Joanna Merson [Robert Muir], Kaneko Auditorium
Joanna will discuss principles and concepts that relate to cartographic and data visual design including color choice, typography/font selection, map/element hierarchy, and map projections. She will illustrate these concepts with examples from products produced by the UO InfoGraphics Lab. These concepts are helpful for those interested in data communication from the perspective of creator or critical reader. Joanna is the Cartographic Developer in the InfoGraphics Lab at the University of Oregon. She earned her Master of Arts degree in Geography at Arizona State University in Tempe and her Bachelor of Science degree with distinction in Geomatics at the University of Victoria in Victoria, British Columbia. Her primary duties at the InfoGraphics Lab are to design visualizations and web mapping applications that support academic research activities. Her professional interests are cartography, cartographic animation, and data visualization. |
| 1:00 pm-3:00 pm | "Video Presentation: The Invention of Nature: Alexander von Humboldt's New World," Andrea Wulf [Tom Ellis], Kaneko Auditorium
Alexander von Humboldt (1769-1859) was the most famous scientist of his age, a visionary German naturalist and polymath whose discoveries forever changed the way we understand the natural world. Among his most revolutionary ideas was a radical conception of nature as a complex and interconnected global force that does not exist for the use of humankind alone. In North America, Humboldt’s name still graces towns, counties, parks, bays, lakes, mountains, and a river. And yet the man has been all but forgotten.
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Tuesday, February 7
| 10:00 am-12:00 pm | "Water Resources Updates: The modernization of our groundwater allocation process" Ivan Gall [Dave MacMillan], Kaneko Auditorium
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| 1:00 pm-3:00 pm | "Transformative Justice," Melissa Buis [Jeanette Flaming], Kaneko Auditorium  Our current criminal legal system is failing to provide public safety or healing for people who have been harmed by criminal violence. This presentation explores the promises and difficulties of moving from a retributive system to one focused on transformative justice. Efforts to replace the existing system abound in piecemeal fashion with some mixed results. Professor Melissa Buis, director of the Transformative Justice Initiative (TJI) at Willamette, explores what it will take to shift paradigms to a transformative framework. Melissa Buis is a Professor of Politics, Policy, Law, and Ethics (PPLE) at Willamette University. Over a 23-year career she has taught and researched on a variety of topics including welfare policy, health care, and the criminal legal system. She is currently working on a volume about transformative justice that includes writing from incarcerated and formerly incarcerated men, survivors of violence, and students who have worked for change. |
What are the challenges we face in managing this resource in increasing times of water scarcity?Thursday, February 9
| 10:00 am-12:00 pm | "Great Decisions, Video Lecture: China and the U.S.," Randy Schriver [Jeanette Flaming], Kaneko Auditorium  For the past ten years, the United States and China have been locked in a competition for who has the greatest global influence. One major point of contention is the status of Taiwanese sovereignty, which has become even more relevant recently with the possibility that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine may prompt China to take similar action regarding Taiwan. How will the United States engage a China which is increasingly seeking to expand its sphere of influence? Mr. Randall Schriver is the Chairman of the Board of the Project 2049 Institute and a Partner at Pacific Solutions LLC. In January 2022, he was appointed as a Commissioner to the U.S. – China Security and Economic Review Commission for a two-year term. He is also a lecturer for Stanford University’s “Stanford-in-Washington” program, is on the Board of Advisors to the Sasakawa Peace Foundation USA, and Board of Directors of the US-Taiwan Business Council. Just prior, he served for two years as the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs where he led a team of nearly one hundred professionals and was the principal advisor to the Secretary of Defense on matters related to the Indo-Pacific region. Prior to his senate confirmation, Mr. Schriver was one of five founding partners of Armitage International LLC, a consulting firm that specializes in international business development and strategies. He was also CEO and President of the Project 2049 Institute, a non-profit research organization dedicated to the study of security trend lines in Asia. He was also an adjunct lecturer for Stanford University’s “Stanford-in-Washington” program. Previously, Mr. Schriver served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs. He was responsible for China, Taiwan, Mongolia, Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific Islands. From 2001 to 2003, he served as Chief of Staff and Senior Advisor to the Deputy Secretary of State. From 1994 to 1998, he worked in the Office of the Secretary of Defense, including as the senior official responsible for U.S. bilateral relations with the People's Liberation Army and the bilateral security and military relationships with Taiwan. Prior to his civilian service, he served as an active-duty Navy Intelligence Officer from 1989 to 1991, including a deployment in support of Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm. After active duty, he served in the Navy Reserves for nine years, including as Special Assistant to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and an attaché at U.S. Embassies Beijing and Ulaanbaatar. Mr. Schriver hails from Oregon, received a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from Williams College and a Master of Arts degree from Harvard University. He has won numerous military and civilian awards from the U.S. government including the Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public Service (highest civilian award). While at the State Department he was presented with the Order of the Propitious Clouds by the President of Taiwan for service promoting U.S.-Taiwan relations. He is married to Jordan Schriver, and is father to Lucas, Rory, Brody and Mae. |
| 1:00 pm-3:00 pm | "Iran at the Crossroads," Saghar Sadeghian [Jeanette Flaming], Kaneko Auditorium 
Iran has been visibly in the American news since 1979 for different reasons. While Iran has been through several revolutions and protests, a war, and many more phases since 1979, the U.S. relationship with Iran has its own history. Iran claims to be the largest power in the Middle East, controlling the Persian Gulf and dealing with countries such as Israel, Saudi Arabia, Iran and Russia. This presentation first navigates the Iran-U.S. relationship, then gives more detail about the recent events in Iran, the revolution with the slogan of “Woman, Life, Freedom.” Saghar Sadeghian is a History Associate Professor at Willamette University. She is also the Associate Director of Yale Iranian History Internet Archives (YIHA). Saghar started her higher education in Iran at the clandestine Baha’i University (the BIHE). She continued with her master’s in Historical Research at Lancaster University, and her Ph.D. at Sorbonne Nouvelle, Paris 3. Her thesis topic was “Non-Muslim Communities in Iran during the Constitutional Revolution.” Sadeghian was the Post-Doctoral Fellow of Iranian Studies and the Rice Faculty Fellow at the McMillan Center, Yale University. Her primary research focuses on two topics: minority groups and the concept of citizenship in the Middle East, and the Environmental history of the Caspian Forests in Iran. At Willamette, she teaches courses on the Middle East. |
Tuesday, February 14
| 10:00 am-12:00 pm | "Reimagining Salem's Bush House Museum: Our Vision For Curating at the Intersection of History and Contemporary Art," Matthew Boulay [Brenda Kidder], Kaneko Auditorium 
As caretakers of the Bush House Museum, the Salem Art Association has a special responsibility to look closely at the historical record and, when evidence of oppression or racism comes to light, to acknowledge wrongdoings in an honest and upfront manner. To this end, SAA Executive Director Matthew Boulay has initiated an effort to clearly and unequivocally condemn Asahel Bush’s racist words and actions. And yet, simply condemning past racism is not enough. At SAA, we believe in the power of art to not only educate, entertain, delight, and dazzle, but to simultaneously interrogate, stimulate, and challenge. With these goals in mind, the SAA/BHM team is working to re-imagine the exhibitions and programming at BHM. In his talk, Boulay will share some of the history surrounding Asahel Bush and then describe his current efforts to expand the curatorial vision of this extraordinary house museum. Matthew Boulay enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve in 1997 and served in Iraq in 2003. After coming home, he served as the Director of the Fund for Veterans' Education and the Campaign for a New GI Bill. In this capacity, he designed and managed a national scholarship programs for veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and successfully lobbied Congress to pass a new GI Bill. In addition to his work with veterans, Boulay is the founder of the nonprofit National Summer Learning Association and has written and edited a number of books on the subject of summer learning and educational excellence. He is a practicing artist and serves as the Executive Director of the Salem Art Association and the Bush House Museum. Boulay holds a BA in History and a PhD in Sociology and Education. |
| 1:00 pm-3:00 pm | "Flags," Brian McKinley [GwenEllyn Anderson], Kaneko Auditorium 
Historical flags and what those images can invoke, as well as the creation of the new Salem flag.I have a long history of working in Oregon State government, specifically the House of Representatives for the Chief Clerk’s office. My time has also been spent in a number of volunteer civics positions and service to the community. I am currently producing Young Leaders Program ( Ylprogram.org ) which I cofounded and serve as the Executive Director and Treasurer. I am also currently serving as a city of Salem Planning Commissioner, in my 3rd term as the Vice President of the Commission. |
Thursday, February 16
| 10:00 am-12:00 pm | "Sustainability in Oregon and Related Topics," Bill Foster, Kaneko Auditorium  This presentation offers a unique perspective on Sustainability and the evolution of Sustainability in Oregon. It will also present information about what has happened in subsequent years and what may or may not be on the horizon.Bill Foster has been an ICL member since 2015 and is a retired architect. Much of his career he spent planning and constructing state facilities and ten years as State Architect. In that capacity, he contributed to Governor Kitzhaber’s Sustainability Executive Order, drafted the state policy on sustainable facilities, and provided oversight of the Pilot Project “to employ and evaluate sustainability methods and programs,” through the North Mall Office Building. |
| 1:00 pm-3:00 pm | "Becoming Leonardo, Being Ourselves: The Many Legacies of Renaissance Art.," Ricardo de Mambro Santos [Judi McGavin], Kaneko Auditorium  The lecture will address some of the most interesting - and unexpected - novelties in the fields of painting, science, and theatre introduced by Leonardo da Vinci in the cultural context of Renaissance Europe, in order to examine how those innovations might still be affecting our lives today.Professor and Chair, Department of Art History, Willamette University Specialty: Italian and European Renaissance and Mannerism. Education Professor de Mambro Santos is an expert in Italian and European Renaissance and Mannerism. He has taught for twelve years in the Department of Art History at the University of Rome courses on Renaissance Art Literature and Visual Culture as well as classes on Methodologies of Art Criticism. In the Department of Oriental Studies at the University of Rome, he has also taught courses on the activity of European painters in India, China and Japan from the sixteenth- to the eighteenth-century. More recently, as a Visiting Professor, he taught at the University of Washington and Whitman College classes on Northern Renaissance, Brazilian visual culture, and theories of art from Neoclassicism to Postmodernism. |
Tuesday, February 21
| 10:00 am-12:00 pm | "Glomart, Gaia, and Garden Guilds," Tom Ellis , Kaneko Auditorium 
PART 1: DiagnosisThe Earth has terminal cancer, and we are it. By “we” I refer not to humanity per se, nor to “western civilization”. Rather, I refer to Glomart—the fossil fuel- and money-based Global Market Economy--which is now worldwide. Terminal cancer has only two possible outcomes: death (systemic collapse) or spontaneous remission. Death is most likely by far, but spontaneous remission does happen, however rarely. So our great challenge today is to find ways to catalyze the spontaneous remission of the Cancer of the Earth—before it’s far too late. We owe this to our children. PART 2: Treatment Collectively, our Glomart civilization is doomed to overshoot and collapse, but individually, we still have options. Our human intelligence allows us to imagine, and implement, a symbiotic, rather than parasitic relationship with Gaia, our biological support system. This is called “Permaculture,” our last, best hope for a viable future on Earth. And Garden Guilds are my own scheme for implementing Permaculture practices at the neighborhood level. The pursuit of this vision can be summed up in a single slogan: GROW GARDENS, GROW COMMUNITY, GROW AWARENESS. Thomas I. Ellis, Ph.D. is a retired professor of English and Humanities, who moved to Salem from Hampton, Virginia after his retirement in 2017. During his 25 years in Virginia, Tom taught for 11 years at Hampton University--a distinguished HBCU (i.e. historically black university) established shortly after the Civil War--and then for 13 years at Tidewater Community College in Norfolk, across the James River (at the south end of the Chesapeake Bay). Throughout his academic career, Tom was also an ardent environmental activist, a life member of the Sierra Club, actively promoting environmental protection at both local and state levels. He served as vice chair of his local York River Group of the Sierra Club, and on the state board of directors for the Virginia Chapter for eight years. After retirement, Tom and his wife Ann moved across the country to Salem to be closer to Ann's daughter and her husband, who live and work here. We had met in Oregon back in the Eighties, after completing our doctorates at the University of Oregon, so we saw this not as a move, but rather as a return to the state we both loved, even though both of us were born and raised in the East (She in Chicago and I in Philadelphia), and both of us ended up doing our graduate work at the U of O. Since returning, Tom has become active once again in environmental advocacy through 350 Salem, through which he has a monthly radio interview program on KMUZ FM entitled "Elephant in the Room," where he interviews policymakers, activists, and local experts on the local effects of the global climate crisis, and on local efforts to mitigate and adapt to these effects. He is also a Master Gardener, and he has earned his Permaculture Design Certificate from Oregon State University. In addition, he is an active member of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Salem. |
| 1:00 pm-2:00 pm | "Evolution of Paternity Testing," Michael Hubbard, Kaneko Auditorium 
Mr. Hubbard was part of an international pioneering team developing and standardizing Human Leukocyte Testing (‘HLA’)—also called ‘Tissue Typing’--initially developed for matching organs for transplantation. Mr. Hubbard was also involved in applying HLA testing in paternity testing, and was a frequent expert witness for cases in the states of Oregon, Washington, Idaho and California. Today, he will discuss how HLA testing changed the dynamics of paternity testing by giving some probability figures for the first time for the mother’s side of the case. Formerly, paternity testing could only exclude falsely identified alleged fathers; yet give no figures of probability of paternity in cases of inclusion. Michael, an ICL member since 2021, is an author and retired psychotherapist with a specialty in the field of sexual abuse, having worked with both offenders and victims, primarily at Oregon State Hospital. However, Michael’s background started in the medical field as a technologist and researcher in Clinical Pathology and Transplant Immunology, first at Upstate Medical Center in Syracuse, NY and later at OHSU in Portland. Then, later, he was co-founder and CEO of Oregon’s first biotechnology company, Epitope, Inc., and co-founder of others, including Trinity Biotech in Dublin, Ireland. |
| 2:00 pm-3:00 pm | "Inventions: Pottery Wheel and Metallurgy," Mark Blackburn, Kaneko Auditorium
Understanding The Inventions That Changed The World: The Potter’s Wheel and Metallurgy. Mark joined ICL in September 2022 |
Thursday, February 23
| 10:00 am-12:00 pm | CANCELED due to weather, Kaneko Auditorium |
| 1:00 pm-3:00 pm | CANCELED! "Freedom Is Indivisible : Democratic Socialism and the Challenge of Totalitarianism," William Smaldone [Jeanette Flaming], Kaneko Auditorium  For democratic socialists, the rise of fascism and communism in interwar Europe presented an enormous challenge. How should a movement committed to expanding freedom confront forces aiming to destroy it without compromising its own principles? This presentation examines this problem from the perspective of Rudolf Hilferding, a major political figure in the Austrian and German socialist movement from 1900-1940. Hilferding's career spanned the entirety of a decisive era in which the high tide of democratic socialism gave way to its almost complete destruction. His observations on the socialists' dilemma continue to resonate in our own time as our democratic order comes under threat. William T. Smaldone is the E. J. Whipple Professor of History at Willamette.. Bill Smaldone came to Willamette's History Department in 1991. In addition to general surveys in modern European history, he offers courses on German and Russian history, Latin American history, urban history, the Holocaust, European socialism, and capitalism. Education: B.S. State University of New York College at Brockport M.A. State University of New York College at Brockport Ph.D. State University of New York at Binghamton |
Tuesday, February 28
| 10:00 am-12:00 pm | CANCELED DUE TO WEATHER! "Seaweed Is More Than We Think," Charles (Chuck) Toombs [Brenda Kidder], Kaneko Auditorium  My presentation will be on using free market forces to achieve global social goals like climate change mitigation, world nutrition, and quality of life for everyone. Chuck Toombs has deep roots in sales and marketing, beginning his career and at a Fortune 500 company in sales, earning his MBA in Marketing from the University of Chicago, where he studied under six Nobel Laureates in Economics. He has owned his own business and worked for privately held companies in the Pacific Northwest and Europe. He has taught Marketing at the University of Portland and Oregon State University, where he discovered the "seaweed that tastes like bacon". Oregon Seaweed is the largest on-land seaweed farm in the United States with farms in Bandon and Garibaldi, with investments from the largest ocean impact impact investor, ranked number one by the World Economic Forum. |
| 1:00 pm-2:00 pm | CANCELED DUE TO WEATHER! "Fake or Fortune," Betsy Belshaw, Kaneko Auditorium 
ICL members will learn why they no longer read about the latest painting forger caught and sent to prison for trying to pass off a supposed masterpiece. Learn how science has taken over.Betsy has been an ICL member since 2015. |
| 2:00 pm-3:00 pm | CANCELED DUE TO WEATHER! "How the Terrarium Changed the World," Gregg Harris [Eric Reif], Kaneko Auditorium  How could the discovery of the terrarium, in 1829, shift the geopolitical balance of power among nations, transfer trillions of dollars of wealth, save the lives of millions of people around the world and launch an international social/cultural movement within just three decades?! And, how is it that we are still dealing with both the positive and the negative effects of this discovery even to this day? In this presentation, Gregg Harris, owner of Silver Falls Terrariums, in Silverton, Oregon, delight-directed scholar of the history of terrarium horticultural and a Master Planter of terrariums since 1972, will answer all of these questions and more. As an internationally respected conference keynote speaker with over 256,000 alumni families around the world, he will use his professional-quality Powerpoint slides and charts to explain, not only how the terrarium effect works and why his own terrariums live beautifully for decades, but also how you can plant your own successful terrariums and avoid making the most common terrarium planting mistakes. Gregg Harris has studied the science and history of the terrarium since 1969 in Laguna Beach California, when, as a 17 year old runaway hippy he learned the hobby from older hippy friends. Since then, beginning in 1972, he has owned and operated 3 successful terrariums shops, including Roosevelt’s Terrariums in Portland, Oregon and now Silver Falls Terrariums in Silverton, Oregon (www.SilverFallsTerrariums.com.) Gregg studied Adult Education at the University of Dayton and Wright State University, being just 18 Classical Greek credits shy of receiving his Bachelor’s Degree in Communications. His various workshops, seminars and conferences on alternative approaches to education, family business, time management, hospitality and personal lifestyle design have been presented routinely since 1981. |