Winter 2025 Class Descriptions

Memoir Group

Write your memoirs to share in class.

New members are welcome.

Thursdays, January 2 to March 27, 10:15 to 11:45

Facilitator:  Cathy Belanger

Marine Microbes and the Past, Present, and Future of Our Biosphere

Smaller than a grain of sand, yet more abundant than the stars in the universe, tiny photosynthetic microbes (phytoplankton) play a central role in the workings of our planet.  This talk explores their ecological importance, stunning diversity and wild lifestyles, and discusses their major contributions, from the origin of plants and an oxygen-rich atmosphere to mediating the effects of global climate change.

Tuesday, January 7th, 1:15 to 2:45

Colin Kremer, Assistant Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, UConn

Rock Dwellers in Urban Heat Islands:  Adapting to a Harsh Novel Biome

The many vertical surfaces of urban areas could make them a land of opportunity for rock-dwelling plants.  But it turns out that being a city-dweller comes with additional challenges.  This talk looks at fern species that have been able to make it in cities, the challenges they face, and what predisposes a species to adjust to this harsh environment.

Thursday, January 9, 1:15 to 2:45

Tammo Reichgelt, Assistant Professor in Residence, Department of Earth Sciences, UConn

“The Finest Little Village”

The speaker talks about her latest novel, “The Finest Little Village,” set in Windham Center, a murder mystery featuring characters who may become the leads in a future series of mysteries.   She also discusses her writing process and her Shetucket River Milltown series of eight novels, all set in towns along the Shetucket River corridor.

Thursday January 16, 1:15 to 2:45

Diana K. Perkins, novelist, naturalist and wannabe homesteader

Joints for your Joints:  Does Cannabis Help Manage Arthritis Pain?

Arthritis, or inflammation of the joints, affects many of us and is a leading ailment that sufferers report treating with cannabis.  But what is the evidence that cannabis products actually help manage arthritis?  This talk discusses current research in people and experimental animals to understand the potential connections between cannabis, pain, and inflammation.

Wednesday, January 22, 1:15 to 2:45

Steven G. Kinsey, Professor, School of Nursing, UConn

Simulating an Analog Mission to Mars: HERAC7M2

Last summer Jason Lee and three crew members participated in NASA’s Human Exploration Research Analog (HERA) Campaign 7 Mission 2.  They spent 45 days in the habitat simulating a mission to Mars.  This talk discusses the experiments they ran, the purpose of the analog mission, and the effects of working and living with strangers in isolation.

Thursday, January 23, 1:15 to 2:45

Jason Lee, Professor in Residence, School of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Manufacturing Engineering, UConn

Overcoming Your Own Cognitive Biases to Make Better Ethical Decisions

Most of us want to be ethical but are vulnerable to our own biases on how we interpret and process information.  This presentation highlights some of our most common biases that inadvertently cause us to act unethically even if we are well-intentioned, and offers practical steps that encourage reflective and responsible decision-making.

Wednesday, January 29, 1:15 to 2:45

Robert Bird, Professor of Business Law, UConn

Six Things Everyone Should Know about the Native American Archaeology of Connecticut

Indigenous people lived in Connecticut at least 12,000 years before the arrival of European colonists. This talk covers the human history of Connecticut from the end of the last ice age to the present day, centering around key topics discussed chronologically: 1)  the arrival and settlement of people at the end of the last ice age, 2) adapting to the post-glacial landscape, 3) increasing populations, new foods, and new technologies, 4) the rise of socially and politically complex societies, 5) indigenous peoples and the colonial European invasion, and 6) indigenous peoples and archaeology in Connecticut today.

Thursday, January 30, 1:15 to 2:45

Sarah P. Sportman, Connecticut State Archaeologist

Genes and Journeys:  A Story of Long-Distance Migratory Seabird Populations in the Atlantic Ocean Basin

Almost 50% of seabird species are globally threatened and 28% are experiencing population declines.  The speaker discusses genetic tools used to understand connectivity among populations of an endangered species to inform conservation strategies.  She links this topic to what colleagues learned from related and co-occurring species experiencing mass mortality from HPA (avian flu) since 2020.

Tuesday, February 4, 1:15 to 2:45

Patricia Szczys, Professor of Biology and Executive Director, Institute for Sustainability, ECSU

Time and Testimony: The American Slave Narrative as a Receptacle for Collective Memory

This talk discusses American slave narratives published between 1840 and 1905 and examines how, despite the shifting political and social circumstances of their production, they remained a critical repository for the collective memories of race, generation, and nation.

Wednesday, February 5, 1:15 to 2:45

Lincoln Him, School of History, UConn

Sign Language and the Deaf

This talk discusses the history and current status of American Sign Language including information about the deaf community.

Tuesday, February 11, 1:15 to 2:45

Linda Pelletier, ASL Studies Coordinator, Department of Linguistics, UConn

Stepping into the Shade

This talk covers the history of the tobacco industry in Connecticut.

Wednesday, February 12, 1:15 to 2:45

Kristin Morgan and Brian Day, Film and Theatre Department, ECSU

A Barista’s Guide to MOCha (Metal-Organic Chalcogenolates):  General Chemistry at the Interface of Molecules and Materials

We live today in an era of material proliferation.  To what was once a handful of metals and alloys, chemistry and materials science have added tens of thousands of new formulations of materials per year.  The design of materials will be presented at the general science level, describing how and why chemists probe the limits of the structure and properties of matter.

Tuesday, February 18, 1:15 to 2:45

James Hohman, Assistant Professor of Chemistry, UConn

Yes, Prices Have Risen; a UConn Economist Says Wages Have Too

This talk takes stock of Connecticut’s economic landscape, offers analyses of recent state trends and the progress made to date, identifies current challenges facing Connecticut workers and businesses, and considers the outlook for the future and the prospects for growth moving forward.

Wednesday, February 19, 1:15 to 2:45

Steven Lanza, Associate Professor in Residence, Department of Economics, UConn

The Braver Angels Mission:  Bringing Civil Discourse Back to Our Divided Nation

Braver Angels is a national grassroots organization whose mission is to depolarize the partisan divide and foster civil discourse in the country.  Every day we see how polarized America has become:   Congress rarely works across the aisle to solve problems; discussing politics in the workplace is avoided for fear of being stereotyped negatively; family members hesitate to bring up a debatable issue at the dinner table lest it turn into a heated argument.  Two volunteers from the CT Alliance of Braver Angels will share what and how Braver Angels addresses this divisiveness that threatens our democracy, and share opportunities to be part of a movement to enhance civility in society.

Tuesday, February 25, 1:15 to 2:45

Responding to Campus Sexual Violence with Institutional Courage

Sexual violence is a persistent problem on college campuses across the United States. Researchers are developing innovative response efforts through the framework of institutional courage.  The speaker uses her experience as a campus victim advocate to discuss institutional betrayal, courage, and new frontiers in response efforts that effectively support student well-being.

Wednesday, February 26, 1:15 to 2:45

Sarah Nightingale, Department of Sociology, ECSU

Religious Charter Schools: How Did We Get Here?

Many were shocked when an Oklahoma agency approved an application for an online religious charter school.  After all, charter schools are generally understood to be “public schools.” However, the Supreme Court may eventually rule that the states cannot prohibit religious charter schools. This talk also explains the educational implications if these schools are permitted to operate.

Tuesday, March 4, 1:15 to 2:45

Preston Green, Neag School of Education, UConn

Transatlantic Stowe:  A Conservation with Dr. Emily B. Todd

Nineteenth-century American writer Harriet Beecher Stowe’s bestselling novel “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” was widely popular not only in the United States but also in Europe. Dr. Todd shares highlights about Stowe’s reception abroad, drawing on material from the collection of essays she co-edited with Denise Koh and Sarah Meer entitled “Transatlantic Stowe:  Harriet Beecher Stowe and European Culture.”

Wednesday, March 5, 1:15 to 2:45

Emily Todd, Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences, ECSU

Scammers are Bullies

The speaker relates her terrible experience with cyber scammers, which she said looked so real and unexpected.  She guides the audience through several wrong steps she took in losing $7900 in 2023. She offers advice on what to look out for.

March 13, 1:15 to 2:45

Sharen Peters, Victim of a Cyber Scam

Leadership and Hope in the Prevention of Substance Use Disorders

Far too often we hear of the heartbreak of those touched by some form of substance use disorder.  The Windham Prevention Coalition works with multiple community sector members to bring knowledge, resources and passion to reduce and prevent substance misuse.  Local agencies, business leaders, media, town officials, police officers, school personnel, faith-based organizations, healthcare workers, social service leaders, parents and youth are all partners in these efforts.  Special emphasis will be on the Coalition’s work with youth and parents.

Tuesday, March 18, 1:15 to 2:45

Karen Ravenelle-Bloom, Director, Windham Prevention Coalition

The Environmental Impact of the Video Gaming Industry through Virtual Reality

The extraction and refinement of materials to create virtual reality (VR) results in the pollution of air, water, and soil and contributes to habitat fragmentation across the world.  Attendees can try the VR experience, which immerses one in spaces inspired by the environmental impact of the video gaming industry.

Tuesday, March 25, 1:15 to 2:45

Ian Valeta, Honors Student in Computer Science with Mathematics and Studio Art Minors, ECSU

Book Discussion of “The Bear” by Andrew Krivak, the Big Read Selection at ECSU, 2024-2025

Thursday, March 27, 1:15 to 2:45

Led by students from ECSU