OSU Alumni Association
2008 Spring Term
Humanities Strand
Getting a Good Night's Sleep: Sleep Disorders and Sleep Medicine
Thursday, April 3, 9:30
Dr. Mari Goldner, a specialist in the diagnosis and treatment of sleep
disorders at the Corvallis Clinic, will review the research establishing
the causes of sleepiness and fatigue as well as the
conditions in sleep that are damaging to health. She will speak about
treatments for apnea, insomnia, narcolepsy, primary snoring, circadian
disorders, and the burgeoning
field of sleep medicine. The class will focus on scientific and
technological
developments but will include discussion of the economic, social and
cultural
implications of sleep medicine.
Host: Doug Clark
Critique of the Supplemental Session of the Oregon Legislature
Thursday, April 10, 9:30
After a trial run at annual sessions, Senator Frank Morse,
Republican, representing Albany and Corvallis, and
Representative Sara Gelser, Democrat, representing Corvallis and
Philomath, will evaluate the Oregon
Legislature's "supplemental session" experiment which concluded at
the end of February. They will address the
issue of whether Oregon is ready to consider annual legislative
sessions in place of its biennial system.
Host: Cliff Trow
Oregon Public Broadcasting: What It Is, Will Be And May Not Be
Thursday, April 17, 9:30
Steve Bass, CEO of Oregon Public Broadcasting (OPB), and Lynne
Clendenin, Vice President, Radio
Broadcasting, will discuss and answer questions about the current
programming of the State of Oregon's radio
and television broadcasting system; the changes in the content of
radio and television that will come about in
the digital world; and how technology will alter the forms of
message sending and receiving (narrowcasting,
cable casting, multi-channels, high definition TV and radio, DVD,
satellites and the internet). — truly a Public
Information Super Highway, with many access roads.
Host: Dick Weinman
OSU and the Maraschino Cherry
Tuesday, April 22, 1:30
Conventional wisdom credits OSU with the invention of the maraschino
cherry. Ron Wrolstad,
Distinguished OSU Professor Emeritus of Food Science will discuss
whether this is true or false
and will describe Ernest Wiegand's role in establishing Oregon's
maraschino cherry industry. The
contributions of other OSU faculty, including Robert Cain, Darrel
Beavers, and Ron, will also be
described. Love them or hate them, there's a lot of folklore,
technology and science wrapped up in
the maraschino cherry!
Host: Lloyd Swanson
Gender and Sexuality: A History
Thursday, May 1, 9:30
Robert Nye, OSU Professor Emeritus of History and Horning Professor
of the Humanities, will discuss when
and why "gender" first emerged, its relation to "sex" and
"sexuality" and how the concept has evolved in recent
years. It is presently unclear if we all mean the same thing when we
use "gender" in conversation and writing.
Host: Cliff Trow
MemAerobics Brain Wellness Seminar
Thursday, May 8, 9:30
Roger Anunsen, author, consultant and former attorney, is the
creator of MemAerobics, a nationally
recognized, non-computer cognitive intervention program that has
been educating mature minds since 2001.
After an overview of his “Jump Start" theory, he will discuss his
Brain Wellness Series, which engages and
challenges elders to learn evidence-based neuroscience facts about
how aging brains really work and why aging
brains sometimes fail.
Host: Barb Callner
Nothing But The BEST
Thursday, May 15, 9:30
Larry Roper, OSU Vice Provost of Student Affairs and Interim Dean of
The College of Liberal Arts, has
designed and implemented a program to meet the challenges faced by
incoming student athletes. Working
primarily with football recruits, the program, with the acronym,
BEST, assists incoming athletes in overcoming
their fears, anxieties, search for identity, and the first-time
experience of college academic and social life. ALL
participants will get a chance to simulate the activities of the
BEST student athletes.
Host: Dick Weinman
Speaking Metaphorically
Thursday, May 22, 9:30
Speaking metaphorically, Dick Weinman and Don Ferguson speak in the
language of oral and visual imagery,
to express the feelings of Dick about his wife’s Alzheimer’s
Disease. Don, photographer and owner of
Shadowsmith Photography, and Dick, OSU Professor Emeritus of Media
Communication, describe Alzheimer’s
shattering effects and individual deterioration, as well as the
moods, emotions, yet persistent feelings of hope of
the caregiver. Dick writes and speaks in the language of poetry; Don
in visual poetry - to interpret the
emotional and spiritual meaning of the poems. Both explain how their
works were created.
Host: Barb Callner
Humpty-Dumpty Fell . . . And Just Lay There
Thursday, May 29, 9:30
Paul Hochfeld, MD, Emergency Room physician, and advocate for a new
Health Care System,
has traveled extensively to produce a documentary on the U.S. Health
Care System and structure.
He met with health care professionals, administrators. politicians,
and government officials. His
conclusions are unnerving, but suggestive of action. See excerpts
from the documentary and
hear how the system is really not about health and is broken like
humpty-dumpty. But it might be
put back together again.
Host: Dick Weinman
A Visit to the Corvallis Mosque
Wednesday, June 4, 12:30 - 2:30
Amir Mohamed Siala, director of the Salmaan Alfarisi Islamic Center
in Corvallis, has invited the members of
ALL to his place of worship. He will be our host as we tour the
Mosque, observe a service and have our
questions answered by members of this Islamic Congregation. Those
attending will meet at the Salmaan Alfaisi
Islamic Center at 610 NW Kings Blvd. in Corvallis.
Host: Barb Callner