Most-Viewed Lectures

December 20, 2023: Sabrina Helm: “The Effect of Climate Change as a Pre-Traumatic Stress

As a result of global environmental changes, we are now facing a mental health crisis related to environmental issues such as climate anxiety, distress, and grief. Dr. Sabrina Helm is Associate Professor of Retailing and Consumer Science at the U of A,  is particularly interested in the role of consumption in the context of climate change, psychological responses to the threat of climate change, and increased consumer resilience. Click here

December 18, 2023: John Bauschatz: “Crime and Punishment in the Ancient World”

John Bauschatz is an Associate Professor of History and Classics at the U of A. He highlights some of the fascinating evidence we have for law and order in the Ancient Mediterranean world. Of central importance in this talk is the issue of boundaries: between right and wrong, imprisonment and freedom, individual and state. The talk examines law codes, tomb robbery, the trial and execution of Socrate, and death by gladiator. Click here

December 13, 2024: Bryan Heidorn–“Misinformation: Carl Sagan’s Baloney Detection Tool Kit for 2003-2004”

Bryan Heidorn, Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Affairs, U 0f A, examines Carl Sagan’s Baloney Detection Kit as a means to think critically and get closer to the truth.  He updates the tookkit and adds a few new cognitive tools to deal better with today’s fractured information landscape. He also examines AI and how other algorithms are helping to spread untruth and how the same methods are being used tin baloney detection. Click here

December 11, 2023: Alex La Pierre: “Borderlandia”

Alex La Pierre, Director of Bordlandia,  takes us on a vicarious trip to Rocky Point, a fishing port nestled on the shores of the Sea of Cortez; and El Pinnate y Gran Alter UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, a vast wilderness area, home to some of Mexico’s most stunning geological formations. Click here

December 4, 2023: Norm Scott: “Toward a Sustainable and Circular Food and Agricultural System”

No area of human activity is more essential that a sustainable Food and Agricultural System (FAS). Agricultural productivity has been a strong focus during the 20th and 21st centuries. Climate change, conflicts, disruptions and wars globally impact the FAS. Science and technology have been key in generating the past transformation of food and agricultural systems; and this will remain so. A place must be found between local practices, and a concentrated agri-food sector.  Professor Emeritus, Norm Scott Cornell University, will discuss these issues for the future of food production. Click here

November 29, 2023: Dan Engeljohn: “Leftovers and Food Safety”

One in six Americans succumb to food borne illnesses each year. Dr. Engeljohn discusses the food and practices contribute most to food borne illness, hospitalizations, and death. Formerly head of the food safety policy office at the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Dr. Engeljohn moved to Tucson, and taught food safety and animal product practices at the University of Arizona. In his presentation he discusses the best practices to keep you safe on a daily basis.  Click here

November 27, 2023: Karl Flessa: “The Binational Effort to Restore the Colorado Delta”

Since ~1935, upstream water diversions have reduced the amount of water that reaches the Colorado River’s Delta in the northern Gulf of California. In most years, the river no longer reaches the sea.Professor Karl Flessa,  Professor of Geosciences at the U of A, has helped coordinate scientific monitoring of the effects of environmental flows to the Colorado River Delta. This presentation explores the history of the Colorado River Delta and the impact of work being done on restoring the delta. Click here

November 22, 2023: Bruce Chamberlain: “Deep Dive into Classical Masterworks: Bach’s St. John Passion: 300 Years Later”

Why are some composers of the past still played and enjoyed today. During Lent of 2024, Bach’s monumental St. John Passion will turn 300 years old and we are still listening to it? UA Professor Emeritus will provide some insight into this question, along with creating some context to the genre of Passion music and its history. Click here

November 12, 2023: Richard L. Poss: “Leonardo da Vinci: Art and Astronomy in the Florentine Renaissance”

As one of the towering figures of Renaissance painting, Leonardo da Vinci had many other interests. He pursued scientific investigations; and his work contains remnants of Aristotelian physics and scientific endeavors–particularly in his astronomical writings. Dr. Poss, an Associate Professor of Astronomy at the U of A, examines Leonardo’s artistic and scientific endeavors with particular attention to his astronomical writings. Click here

April 10, 2024: Marcia Neugebauer–“What’s Going On in Space? 

Dr. Marcia Neugebauer, an internationally recognized space physicist and Academy Village resident, explains important developments in space projects–both the scientific research missions, and the benefits and dangers of new technology that is being launched on an almost daily basis. She also describes the incredible proliferation of earth orbiting satellites–and how the dangerous debris in space as well as the number of orbiting satellites could result in collisions. Click here

March 25, 2024: Randolph Nesse–“Why Aging Exists at all, and the Origins of Evolutionary Medicine” 

Dr. Randolph Nesse discusses his research program that has led to the new field of Evolutionary Medicine, and how these insights can help us understand our own aging. He describes his bringing together of a several fields of psychiatry, psychology and biology to examine our understanding of the process and issues related to aging. Click here

January 22, 2024: Bob Smith & Brack Brown–“The Evolution of the Coral Reef Mural” 

This presentation documents the evolution of the large, outdoor, Coral Reef Mural from inspiration to dedication in photos. The mural’s inscription is  “Let us cherish and protect the Ocean–Ancient Birthplace of all Life. . .”  The entire creation took over two years of  a large group of dedicated volunteers. Click here

December 4, 2023: Norm Scott: “Toward a Sustainable and Circular Food and Agricultural System” 

No area of human activity is more essential that a sustainable Food and Agricultural System (FAS). Agricultural productivity has been a strong focus during the 20th and 21st centuries. Climate change, conflicts, disruptions and wars globally impact the FAS. Science and technology have been key in generating the past transformation of food and agricultural systems; and this will remain so. A place must be found between local practices, and a concentrated agri-food sector.  Professor Emeritus, Norm Scott Cornell University, will discuss these issues for the future of food production. Click here

November 6, 2023: Charles Scruggs: “Boats Against the Current”: The Fiction of Edith Wharton and F. Scott Fitzgerald

Professor Emeritus Charles Scruggs discusses the work of Edith Wharton–the first woman to win the pulitzer Award in Fiction and seen as an American Victorian–and F. Scott Fitzgerald, best known for depicting the flamboyance and excess of the Jazz Age. Scruggs describes their works, contrasts these two iconic American authors, and discusses their views of each others’ works. Click here

November 1, 2023: Alison Futrell: “Barge of Heaven: Cleopatra as Goddess”

Cleopatra’s barge has been imagined as a luxurious nexus of seduction and pleasure.  However, as described by U of A  Associate Professor of History, Alison Futrell, the royal barge was, in fact, a political and religious platform–a springboard for positive interactions with diverse audiences in the ancient Mediterranean. It was meant to stabilize and secure her realm. Click here

October 30, 2023: Peter E. Medine: “What Makes Shakespeare ‘Shakespearean'”?

Why is William Shakespeare, an actor and playwright from the last decade of the 16th century, regarded as the greatest playwright who ever lived? Professor Medine, professor emeritus from, the U of Arizona,  answers that question through a close analysis of specific passages from plays in the genres of comedy, history and tragedy. Click here

October 23, 2023: Obama Abdel: “Cardiovascular Prevention & Service”

Dr. Obama Abdel is an interventional cardiologist. In this talk. he explains how he uses his skills to treat complex cardiovascular disease using medications and lifestyle changes–and, when needed, procedural interventions to open blockages that develop in the arteries of the heart, neck, or extremities. He also loves educating patients about how to reduce their risks. Healthy diet, exercise along with no smoking are essential to over cardiovascular health. Click here

October 18, 2023: Scott C. Lucas: “Inside Yemen: Religion and Politics in Southwest Arabia”

The 8-year civil war in Yemen has created what has been called the world’s worst man-made humanitarian crisis. Dr. Lucas, of the School of Middle Eastern and North African Studies at the University of Arizona, discusses the main religious orientations in Yemen. It highlights Yemen’s diverse natural landscapes and the politics behind the current civil war that continues to afflict its peoples. Click here

October 16, 2023: Bee Bloeser: “Vaccinated & Bayonets: Fighting Smallpox in Africa amid Tribalism, Terror and the Cold War”

Smallpox rashes were first discovered on Egyptian Mummies 3,000 years ago. By the 1800’s a vaccine to prevent the spread of smallpox was discovered, and was eradicated in North America by 1952.  It became a major focus of the WHO in West and Central Africa in 1971. Bloesser tells the story of the campaign in Africa–as told in her current book: Vaccines & Bayonets: Fighting Smallpox in Africa amid Tribalism, Terror and the Cold War. Click here

October 11, 2023: Diane Ashton & Susan English: “Death and Dying: What to Say, How to Say it, and What Not to Say” 

How do you know what to say when you don’t think you have (or know) the appropriate words for a dying person or for those who are grieving? As we know, effective communication is only 10% words, with the remainder being non-verbal both language, gestures, facial expressions and tone of voice. Click here

October 9, 2023: Dan Duncan: “Guerrilla Filmmaking: Telling Stories with Picture and Sound”

Emmy Award-Winning Dan Duncan,  is the producer and director of the PBS series In the Americas with David Yetman. It is in its 11th year of production with 100 half-hour episodes. Duncan summarizes the technological advances for king movies over the last 150 years and showcases some of the current tools and techniques used in the PBS series. click here

October 5, 2023: A Panel Discussion: “Perspectives About End of Life Issues” 

This panel addresses questions about how an end-of-life support personnel team works cooperatively to be of assistance to the patient, caretaker(s), family, and friends. Questions solicited in the last three lectures will be addressed, as well as new ones.  Panel:  Sharon Stetz, Dennis Ondrejka, Mary Ganopol, Yvette Brendice; moderated by Diane Ashton and Char Tosi. Click here

October 4, 2023: Yvette Bredice: “End of Life: Doulas”

End-of-life doulas provide a range of non-medical holistic support to the dying person and their loved ones. Yvette Bredice, founder of Tucson End of Life Soulas, discusses the varied roles of an end-of-life doula, gives some examples from her previous cases, an describes who may benefit from the services of a “death doula”. Click here

September 28, 2023: Mary Ganopol: “Medical Aid in Dying”

Mary Ganapol is the Southern Arizona lead for Arizona End of Life Options. She discusses end-of-life options, including medical aid in dying (MAID). MAID is legal in 10 states plus Washington D.C., and numerous bills have been proposed in the AZ legislature since 2003.  Surveys indicate that over 60% of the AZ voters who respond favor passing the MAID bill. click here

September 27, 2023: Dennis Ondrejka: “Palliative Care and Hospice”

What is the difference between palliative care and hospice care?  And when does the movement from one to another take place? Dr. Ondrejka, former professor, researcher, and author is  now a spiritual support professional. He discusses the difference in the care of dying individuals, and other aspects of the process. click here

September 20, 2023: David Pietz: “Deep Dive into Water Issues: The Yellow River and Water Concerns in China”

David Pietz is a Regents Professor of Chinese History and a UNESCO Chair in Environmental History.  He notes that Northern China is experiencing a water problem: nature and culture have conspired to shape the waterscape of the North China Plain. However, this region has confronted this challenge for centuries in often remarkable and effective ways. Dr. Pietz describes the region, its water problems and how it  has confronted them in the past. Click here

September 18, 2023: Betsy Boggia: “Introduction to Ranked Choice Voting”

Betsy Boggia of the Southern Arizona of Organizer of the Voter Choice Arizona, discusses how Voter Choice Arizona supports Ranked Choice Voting.  This is a way for voters to have more choice and more voice, and contributes to better governance and a better Arizona.In addition to her work with Voter Choice Arizona, she serves on the board of the League of Women Voters, Greater Tucson. Click here

September 6, 2023: Susanna Eden: “”Tucson Active Management Area: Water Outlook”

Dr. Susanna Eden, currently associated with the U of A’s Water Resources Research Center, focuses on the 1980 Groundwater Management Act and subsequent legislation relating to the rights to use groundwater, including for municipal and domestic consumption.  An important aspect of the law was the substitution of Central Arizona Project water for groundwater by water companies such as the Spanish Trail. She discusses recent events that have highlighted problems with the current legal framework. Click here

August 28, 2023: Xiaochang Chen: “The Parker Solar Probe”

Xiaochang ChenNASA’s Parker Solar Probe (PSP) is on its way to the sun. The mission was named after Dr. Eugene Parker  who predicted that the Sun’s atmosphere is so hot that solar gases must shoot out in a form called the solar wind. The PSP will fly close enough to the Sun to obtain the data needed to figure out how the corona gets so hot and details related to the solar sun. Mr. Chen, a 5th year graduate student at the U of A talks about the PSP mission. Click here

August 21, 2023: Chuck Tampio: “Who is the Greatest Dutch Master: Rembrandt, Vermeer, or Van Gogh”

With the growth of the middle class in the 17th century in Holland, artists became free to depict scenes of daily lives as well as still lives, landscapes and urban scenes. Chuck Tampio makes a case that Rembrandt, Vermeer, and VanGogh were the  greatest painters in Dutch history by describing these artists and their art. He then challenges the audience to name the artist that most engages them. Click here

August 14, 2023: Brandon Strange: “The Impact of Megadrought on Ponderosa Pine Forests in the Southeast U.S.”

Most Southern Arizonans have visited the beautiful Ponderosa forests of Northern Arizona but may not be aware of the effects of the mega draught on these forests. Dr. Brandon Strange, of Watershed Management and Ecohydrology, studies the rings that appear each year in tree trunks that are used as a way of calculating the dates of particular events.He uses these rings and stable isotope biochemistry to examine how forests function and how they are responding to climate change. Click here

July 17, 2023: Cynthia Meier & Joseph McGrath, Co-Founders of The Rogue Theatre

The Rogue Theatre is an intimate 160-seat, small professional theatre located in the heart of Tucson in the Historic ‘Y’. The shape of the stage and the seating arrangement of the audience changes to meet the particular needs of the production. Co-Founders Jo McGrath and Cindy Meier describe the Rogue theatre and present its upcoming season. Click here

July 24, 2023: Hubert Parker: “Tucson Wildlife Center, Saving the Wildlife of Tucson and Southern Arizona for 24 years!”

Hubert Parker, Development Director for the Tucson Wildlife Center, sums up its mission in three words beginning with ‘R’: Rescue, Rehab, Release. The Center takes in sick, injured, or orphaned wildlife. Hubert shares how they work from intake to release by following different patients and how they meet some of the challenges. The Center is a 501(c)3, and survives on donations as well as volunteers. Click here

July 17, 2023. John Muniz: An Invitation to Atonal Music: Or How I learned to stop Worrying and Love Cluster Chords”

In his second presentation about classical music at Academy Village, John Muniz helps us learn now to listen to and appreciate atonal music. Muniz, Associate Professor of Music theory at the University of Arizona, suggests that order and beauty lie hidden within atonal music, and that even its chaos–when heard correctly–can be sublime.  Click here

July 10, 2023: Alex La Pierre: “The First Filibusters: French and Mexican Incursions into Sonora”

Historian Alex La Pierre focusses on the Sonoran incursions made by French and American “filibusters” who made lasting impacts on the heritage of Arizona.  The term became “filibusters”, but originally referred to foreign and often stateless mercenaries who sought to carve out territories in Latin America. Alex La Pierre is the co-founder of Borderland, a by-national organization committed to building public understanding of the borderlands (American Southwest and Mexico). Click here

June 26, 2023: Shaku Nair: “Are All Termites Terrible?”

Dr. Shaku Nairn, Extension Entomologist at the University of Arizona, provides an overview of the termites found in Arizona, termite behavior and behavior, pointers regarding early detection and management, myths about termites, and comparison between termites and their lookalikes and a few other wood destroying insects. Click here

June 19, 2023. Janice Jarrett: “How we Learn: Music as a Metaphor”

What can explain the fact that musicians are quantifiably “better” learners? Dr. Jarrett explains how music is like a language and can be as daunting to learn as gaining fluency in another language. Jarrett describes what neuroscientists are now saying about this form of brain activity, and how musicians are better learners than non-musicians. (please excuse the lost few minutes of the lecture).  Click here

June 12, 2023: Gary Fenstermacher: “The Humble Postage Stamp” 

Gary Fenstermacher, a stamp-collector since 1948, describes the creation and production of modern postage stamps. His collection is contained in more than 60 albums, covering nearly 80 linear feet of shelving. He addresses many questions related  to stamps:  the paper used, printing methods, how they are formatted, etc. He hopes that viewers will come away with a renewed appreciation for that little piece of paper that permits us to send many types of items across country and around the world. Click here

June 6, 2023: Jennifer Shi: “Hearing Loss and Hearing Aid Technology”

Dr.Jennifer Shi, a clinical Doctor of Audiology, currently practices at Arizona Hearing Specialists in Tucson. She reviews the different types of hearing loss, and how to read an audiogram. She presents some general information on the relationship between hearing loss and balance, as well as best practices in audiology and how it is performed. Click here

May 24, 2023: Adam Block, “Echoes of a Forgotten Sky”

Adam Block is founder of the Mount Lemmon SkyCenter, and a researcher at the Stewart observatory, University of Arizona. In this presentation, Block introduces the art of astrophotography and how to interpret the images we see in this time of advances in sky photography. Block’s work as astronomer has resulted in the discovery of asteroids (one was named in his honor) as well as extra-galactic star streams and supernova. His photography have been published in a number of magazines. Click here 

May 17, 2023: Ian MacSpadden, “The Future of Public Television and Radio–Why They are Still Relevant”

Ian MacSpadden is the Chief Technology Officer of the Arizona Public Media.  He gives a brief history of radio and television and the technology they have used. He then moves to the area of advancements in the digital age and how they affect public media.He examines the differences between the for-profit and public media and how the public media remain a leader in the development and use of curing edge technologies. By doing so, he indicates that public media will be able to maintain its relevancy and audience. Click here

May 15, 2023: Mary-Frances O’Connor, “The Grieving Brain”

Dr. O’Connor, Associate Professor of Psychology, U of A, a leader in the field of neuroscience, has devoted her entire career to the study the ‘why” of grief and grieving. She talks about grief through the lens of both scientist and griever and discuss the difference between grief–the painful feeling we have when we lose a loved one–and grieving–the process of adapting to our grief over time. Click here

May 10, 2023:  Carol A. Barnes, “Precision Aging Network: Developing Methods to Optimize Brain Health”

Dr. Barnes, the Director of the Evelyn F. Knight Brain Institute and U of A Regents’ Professor, describes a 5-year study on brain aging, which considers genetics, lifestyle, environment and other variables to determine what factors optimize brain health as we age. The purpose is to learn how to predict, prevent, or slow the decline of brain aging.  Click here 

May 8, 2023: Abby Hungwe, “Healing-Centered Engagement for Refugee Families”

Abby Hungwe shares her experience as an asylum seeker from Zvishavane, Zimbabwe. She completed her graduate studies at Southern Arkansas University, and is passionate about community building and community education. She is now the Managing Director of the Owl and Panther, an organization that works to  provide refugee children and their families with healing experiences and a welcoming community. Click here

May 3, 2023: Steve Sarper, “The Life and Music of Gustav Mahler”

Gustav Mahler is said to have bridged the musical traditions of the 19th and 20th century, but whose work has been most appreciated since the 1960’s. Steve Sarper presents sections from different compositions of Mahler which show how he used sound and mood to create an impact on his audience. He address why it took so many years for the music world to recognize him as an important composed,, which musicians influenced him, and what it was like to work as a composer. Click here

April 24, 2023: Barbara Rogers, “The Necessity of Beauty”

Barbara Rogers, Emerita Professor of Art in the University of Arizona School of Art, is an internationally known painter whose work hangs in at least nineteen major public and private collections. In this presentation, Rogers describes the evolution of her approaches as she changes from romantic realism to a hybrid vision that has grown “increasingly complex and ambitious”. Click here

April 17, 2023: Jason Wright, “Outsmart the Scammers”

Incidents of financial fraud and identity are on the rise.Jason wright, an Edward Jones Financial Advisor, suggests that while no one is immune from these scammers, it is possible to limit the chance of becoming another victim. He focuses on the most prevalent fraud schemes being used today and explains what actions we can take to minimize our vulnerabilities to them. Click here

April 12, 2023: Dr. Gregory Walker, Jr., “Common Ailments of the Foot & Ankle”

Feet are so important to everything we do and everywhere we go, that when our feet are out of commission, so are we.  Dr. Walker, an Orthopedic surgeon, Foot & Ankle specialist at Northwest Affiliated Physicians at Northwest Hospital, addresses several of the most common ailments of the feet and ankle that put us in the slow lane when we would rather not be. Click here

April 5, 2023: Don E. Swann, “The Saguaro Census at Saguaro National Park”

Don E Swan, a biologist who has worked at Saguaro National Park for over 30 years, and has been a author or co-author on more than 20 scientific papers on the saguaro and other Sonoran Desert plants. He discusses the “citizen science” program that the park does every 10 years to monitor the health of the signature species–the Saguaro. He also who’s how it has changed over the past 80 years, and how it may change in the future. Click here

April 3, 2023: James Lange– “Optimizing Planning to Secure Your Retirement and Preserve Your Estate”

James Lange, a CPA, Attorney, and registered investment advisor, and is the author of 8 books that help protect the financial security of IRA and retirement plan for owners and their families.  In this talk, he provides information on the latest techniques for minimizing taxes but also strategies for estate planning and charitable giving. Working within the TIAA system, he explains some helpful strategies, thought to be eliminated but that are still permitted by TIAA. Click here

Sept. 30, 2023: Jim Kolbe–“Is the American Experiment with Democracy Coming to Its End?

Jim Kolbe is the Former Congressman from Arizona’s 5th District and a public affairs consultant. In these days of fraught political events, politicized political life, and divided loyalties, many seek clarity and hope for America’s future. There are, however, efforts to achieve bipartisan accord through newly emerging political movements. Congressman Kolbe addresses some of this work, including the “fusion” effort. Click here

March 29, 2023: Fred Skinner–“Beethoven in Russia: Music & Politics” 

Dr. Fred Skinner’s passion and for Beethoven’s music and expertise in Russian history combine in this intriguing look at the interaction of culture and politics. ‘Beethoven in Russia: Music and Politics’ shows how Beethoven’s music served as a call for action for citizens, and weaponized state propaganda on the great political struggles that shaped modern Russian history. Click here 

March 27, 2023: Diana Netherton Part II: Becoming More Hydro-Local–Restoring Desert Landscapes One Yard at a Time”

Diana Netherton retired from a career in Pediatric nursing to sheep farming in Montana, and is now a desert dweller in Academy Village. In this presentation, she examines the strategies to help restore natural health to a landscape through examples of her approach on her .25-acre plot . This involves capturing rain water from roofs, choosing native grasses, and planting pollinators. Click here

March 20, 2023: Charles Tampio–“The Horse of Course: A History of Equine Art”

Charles Tampio, a Horse owner and docent at the University Museum of Art and the Tucson Museum of Art, traces the earliest known images of horses in cave art and continues through to the most contemporary examples. Every medium, genre, and artistic period has featured horses, possibly the most important subject besides the human body. Click here

March 15, 2023: “Northern Stars, Starry Skies”–Bob Foucault 

“Norther Nights, Starry Skies” is a documentary film that celebrates the value of preserving the night sky. Bob Foucault, an Academy Village resident, started his own film company–Aurora Pictures–and produced corporate communication and educational programming for over 30 years. The documentary shown in this presentation was one of many produced by Foucault. Click here to see the opening and Q&A sections of the program that includes a link to the actual documentary.

March 8, 2023: Denice Smith–A Guide to Becoming More Hydro-local: An Intro to Water Harvesting Design 

Tucson receives an average annual rainfall of 11″, often as torrential storms that cause flooding and erosion. Dr. Denise Smith, an Academy Village resident and R& D Scientist, provides information on water harvesting steps to reduce our demand on the local aquifer. These steps might incorporate infiltration basins, rainwater tanks, and/or a laundry to landscape approach to meet these needs. Click here

March 6, 2023: Deb Dale–“Bridging Communities: Public Media in Southern Arizona for the next 60 Years and Beyond”

Deb Dale, the Chief Development Officer for Arizona Public Media, provides a history of public media in the U.S. and Southern Arizona over the pst 60 years. She then describes exciting new plans for Arizona Public Media, including a new broadcasting campus at the U of Arizona Tech Park. This activity will be a ‘Next Gen’ building designed to expand public media services, visibility and ease of use to residents of 11 counties throughout Arizona. Click here

March 1, 2023: Guy Knoller: “Third Attempt of Mt. Denali” 

With a summit elevation of 20.320 feet above sea level. Mount Denali is the highest mountain peak in North America. It is also one of the most isolated.  In order to attempt to climb it, Guy Knoller, an Academy Village resident,  had to be flown onto the glazier. Knoller, a retired lawyer and federal attorney climbed mountains all over the world in his spare time.  He presents the saga of his attempts at this remarkable mountain in this talk. Click here

February 27, 2023: Michael Orchinik, Moderator: “The Art of Photography, Part 5” 

Photographers in Academy Village have taken advantage of the many learning opportunities through museums, photography centers, colleges and artist speakers. They have submitted selected photos to our Arizona Senior Academy Program Coordinator who has compiled their best captures in a slideshow. This presentation will include a discussion of wide-ranging images presented by over a dozen Village photographers. click here

February 20, 2023: Laurence Lee, “Lawrence Lee on his Painting”

An Arizonan by birth, Lawrence Lee has been painting and showing his art for over 50 years. His work is in the permanent collections of the Tucson Museum of Art, The Scottsdale Center for the Arts, and the Tucson Desert art Museum. His work ranges from Native American Shamans to radiant landscapes to surrealistic digital paintings. He also writes poetry. Click here 

February 8, 2023: John Muniz: “Musical Form as Expression: What to Listen For”

Dr. John Muniz joined the Music Department of the U of A in 2015. He is an active composer, and is known for his work at the intersection of analytic philosophy and music theory. In this talk, he helps us understand how to more deeply appreciate the inner workings of musical form. He focuses on form that shapes the melodies and harmonies, uniting them into our psyche to evoke emotion. Click here

February 1, 2023: Michael Noland: “”Osiris-REx News and the Upcoming OSIRIS-APEX Mission”

As the U of A-led OSIRIS-REx spacecraft returns to earth with a sample of asteroid Bennu, the team is planning its next program–to head to the Asteroid Apophis. Professor Michael Nolan, Deputy Principal Investigator for the OSIRIS-APEX Mission, describes the plans for this next mission. The astroid, once predicted to have a small chance of hitting the earth is no longer the threatening, but it will come close. Click here

January 30, 2023 Rebecca Senf:  “Aesthetic Factors in Making a Photograph”

Rebecca Senf is the Chief Curator at the Center for Creative Photography and the U of A, an amazing collection of over 100,000 photographs. In this talk, she looks at a range of photographers from the Center with respect to how they use aesthetic factors to create a distinctive style and expressive artworks. In this discussion, specific photographs will be used to define aspects such as framing, point of view, Sutter speed, and others. Examples include the work of Ansel Adans, Helen Levitt, Barbara Bosworth, Joan Liftin, and Richard Avedon. here

January 25, 2023:  Matthew Abraham: “The Problem of Demagoguery in Politics: Polarizing Discourse in the Age of Distrust”

Just how can people identify a demagogue and why is it important to be able to do so as voting citizens in a democracy? Matthew Abraham,  a Professor in the English Department, U of A, identifies the elements of demagoguery in the present historical moment. He explains why demagoguery is attractive I’m moments of crisis, and how to combat this threat to democracy and deliberation. Click here

January 16, 2023:  Eleni Hasaki: “Clay, Fire: Potters at Work in Ancient Greece”

Professor Elena Hasaki is the co-director of the Laboratory for Traditional Technology in the U of A School of Anthropology. In this richly illustrated lecture, Dr. Hasaki demonstrates how the Greek Potters transformed natural resources, such as clay, into functional ceramics used as construction materials, kitchen and other equipment, often portraying the mythology of their divine realm and their everyday life. Click here

December 19, 2022: Justin Cheesebrough: “Beyond Textbooks, Vail United School District”

Beyond Textbooks (BT) is an online resource and collaborative community created by teachers and district leaders in the Vail Unified School District and used by 126 partner school districts 13 states. The goal of B T is to improve student achievement through implementation of the Vail School District’s proven teaching and learning frameworks. Justin Cheesebrough, Director of BT, shares the history, benefits to teachers, and how this program is now impacting student achievement across the country. Click here

December 14, 2022: Kimberly Ogden: “Sustainable Bioeconomy for Arid Regions”

Dr. Kimberly Ogden, Professor and Chair of Chemical and Environmental Engineering at the U of A, focuses on a particular crop that is used to produce natural rubber and resin. The  ‘Guayule’ crop is drought and heat tolerant, grows on marginal lands, and is therefore an important alternative crop. This presentation focusses on an overview of the development of this crop and its importance  in making rubber. Click here

May 9, 2022: Sabrina Helm “Why All This ‘Stuff’ Matters: Climate Change and Consumer Behavior”

UA Associate Professor Sabrina Helm suggests that the earth’s natural carrying capacity require us to curb overconsumption, which is the main driver of climate change. Dr. Helm discusses the linkages between climate change and (over)consumption, the psychology behind materialistic lifestyles, anticipated consequences of climate change for consumers, and related psychological stressors that can aid or hamper the development of consumer resilience. Click here

Feb. 22, 2022: Joaguim Murieta-Salvidar: “Water and the Nature of the Sonoran Desert”

One of a series of talks sponsored by the Academy Village Sustainability Committee.  Dr. Murieta-Salvidar’s talk focusses on present and future water issues in the Sonoran Desert. Click here 

Feb 24, 2021: Catlow Shipek: “Rainwater Harvesting for Watershed Health” 

One of a series of Lectures sponsored by the Academy Village Sustainability Committee on sustainability issues in the Southwest. Dr. Shipek’s lecture focuses on rainwater harvesting. Click here