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Free lecture series to return to Fort Lewis College

By Mia Rupani Herald Staff Writer

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Thursday, Sept. 7, 2017 7:45 PM

Durango cartoonist and artist Judith Reynolds sketched Andrew Jackson and Thomas Jefferson to accompany the two-part lecture set for Sept. 20 and 21 at the Durango Arts Center.

Courtesy of Judith Reynolds

The Life-Long Learning lecture series at Fort Lewis College is preparing to begin. The free series is co-sponsored by the Office of the President and the Professional Associates of Fort Lewis College and aims to educate students and the community with free presentations on a variety of topics.

The lecture series was started by Judith Reynolds 17 years ago, and this fall includes topics such as climate change, domestic violence and the Inca Empire.

“I wanted to live in a town that had a lecture series at its college,” said Reynolds, a member of the Professional Associates of Fort Lewis College and a contributor to The Durango Herald. “These programs are offered all over the country. This is not original to us.”

Most lectures are held at 7 p.m. Thursdays in 130 Noble Hall and last one hour, followed by 30 minutes of open discussion. “These talks are enriching, educational and contribute to the culture of our community,” Reynolds said. “We have a really nice local following. Each talk is different and enhances the intellectual life.”

This semester, the roster features a two-part lecture about Thomas Jefferson and Andrew Jackson presented by Steven Edenbo and Bob Gleason, president impersonators, on Sept. 20 and 21 at the Durango Arts Center. “These actor-scholars go around on stage as the person they are re-enacting,” Reynolds said. “They speak to us from their time period and writings. They are very expert and do a lot of research on their character.”

The college will host a symposium on climate change from 1 to 6 p.m. Nov. 9 in the Student Union Ballroom. The lecture features Kevin Trenberth, a senior scientist at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder.

“This is a particularly rich roster this semester,” Reynolds said. “The symposium is an experiment. It is on the science of climate change.”

Life-Long Learning lecture series

All lectures will be held at Fort Lewis College’s Noble Hall Room 130 unless otherwise noted. All are free and open to the public.
Sept. 14: Deborah Lycan, director of biochemistry/molecular biology at Lewis & Clark College, will open the fall series with “CRISPR: Transforming Biomedical Research – Opportunities and Dangers.”Sept. 20 and 21: “Two Presidents who Transformed the West: Thomas Jefferson and Andrew Jackson.” Scholar-actors Steven Edenbo and Bob Gleason will give the presentation at the Durango Arts Center.Sept. 28: “Promoting the National Parks in the Depression Era.” Cory Pillen, assistant professor of art history at FLC, will discuss how governmental agencies promoted a balance between use and preservation in national parks during the 1930s.Oct. 5: “Why Should You be Concerned about Population Growth in the USA?” John Seager, president and CEO of Population Connection in Washington, D.C., and former member of the Environmental Protection Agency, will examine how education might improve the lives of our children on our planet.Oct. 12: “‘One of These Days, Alice,’ What is Domestic Violence and How is it Treated?” Dolores T. Mazurkewicz, retired psychotherapist and domestic violence treatment provider, will explore and provide examples of types of domestic violence plus treatment programs.Oct. 19: “Plundered Skulls and Stolen Spirits.” Chip Colwell, senior curator of anthropology at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, will examine the controversies over repatriation and ask how to balance religious, scientific and academic concepts of freedom.Oct. 26: “Can Technology Solve the World’s Water and Sanitation Problems?” Christie Chatterley, FLC assistant professor of engineering, will examine nonprofit innovations and ask if these interventions are effective.Nov. 2: “Sanskrit: The Language of Indian Civilization.” Bill Malandra, former professor of pre-Islamic civilizations of India and Iran, will examine the connections between Sanskrit and European languages.Nov. 9: FLC symposium on climate change, 1 to 6 p.m. in the Student Union Ballroom, will be lectures and discussions featuring Kevin Trenberth, senior scientist at the National Center for Atmospheric Research.Nov. 16: “After Death – Then What?” Dennis Aronson, retired senior instructional designer for California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and former Peace Corps volunteer, will examine research findings regarding reincarnation, near-death experiences and intimations of past lives.Nov. 30: “In the Footsteps of the Inca.” Gary Rottman, retired scientist at the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, will discuss the Inca Empire and its dramatic decline after the Spanish invasions based on research and his recent experience walking the Inca Trail.

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