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Lyceum Course CatalogWinter 2021 (January-February) Affiliated with Binghamton University and National Road Scholar, this institute for lifelong learning has 500+ members aged 50 and over who want to join a community of lifelong learners. Our volunteer course leaders are usually retired specialists, university faculty, retired teachers, members who have pursued interests in some depth, or knowledgeable community members. We encourage members to help keep Lyceum a participatory organization by volunteering for committees, sharing in policy making, proposing courses, and assisting at class meetings. We hope you find our programs intriguing. Although classes have usually been held in our classrooms at 601 Gates Road, Vestal, the current meeting restrictions resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic require us to provide our learning experiences in new ways. For the Winter-Spring 2021 semester, all of our classes, with the exception of those noted in the course descriptions, will be held via Zoom. If you register for a class, you will receive two Zoom meeting invitations with a link to join the class at the appropriate time--one will be sent two days in advance of the class and one will be sent the day of the class. If you do not receive these Zoom links, PLEASE CONTACT THE OFFICE BEFORE THE CLASS BEGINS and we will resend them to you. We cannot help those who do not inform us before the class begins and we cannot offer refunds for missed classes.Because of University staffing constraints due to the pandemic, registration for the Winter 2021 semester will be via credit card online only; NO CHECKS will be accepted. Membership fees are $30 for the winter semester (BU Alumni receive 50% off: The Alumni Association will pay for half of alumni registration fees while funds last. So alumni, register quickly to take advantage of this limited discount!). Night/special event membership is $20 per year; classes are $5 per session. Courses in red are available for night/special event membership.To register, go to . Do NOT send credit card information to the office. You must register no later than 48 hours in advance of the class—classes will be closed 48 hours before they start. Each person registering online must have an individual, active email address. Two people registering cannot use the same email address. Registration for each class will close two business days prior to the start of that class.Please feel free to contact the Lyceum Office (607-777-2587 or lyceum@binghamton.edu) with questions or if you require training and/or assistance in using Zoom.NO REFUNDS AFTER FRIDAY, JANUARY 29*******Close the Loop! [$5] Monday, January 25: ?10-noon Presenter: Debra Smith, Director of Solid Waste Management for Broome County. After you go through the daily task of determining what should and should not go into your recycling bin and finally setting it at the curb for collection, you may think your part is done. But that is just one step towards helping to close the loop! Closed-loop recycling is a program based on three principles: collection, manufacturing, and purchasing. These three principles are integral to keeping recycling programs going. Join us for a closer look at curbside recycling and closing the loop.Improving Balance through Tai Chi [$20] Tuesdays January 26, February 2, 9, 16: 1-3 p.m.Presenter: Bill Walsh. A senior student of Grandmaster Yang Zhenduo, Bill is a Director in the US Yang Family Teacher Academy and is responsible for training new teachers. In this short course, we will experiment with ideas and exercises from Tai chi chuan. We will learn how a clear idea of our anatomy influences our movement. In a study at Emory University, tai chi was proven to be the best exercise to improve balance.Snapshots from Earth’s History [$20] Wednesdays, January. 27, February 3, 10, 17: 10-noon Presenter: Bruce Oldfield, Retired professor of Geology at SUNY-Broome. This class will explore four topics in geology, including the fascinating discoveries in the Burgess Shale, the geology of South-Central New York, the Age of the Earth debate, and - everyone’s favorite - dinosaurs.Mindfulness in Action [$5] Wednesday, January 27: 6-8 p.m.Presenter: Julia Schildwachter. Mindfulness is a type of contemplative therapy that has been practiced for millennia, generally seen as being aware in the present moment and regulating the self. The only time that we can feel, see, taste, love, learn, and truly live is in the present, so it is important to be aware and content in it. This course will discuss mindfulness theory, the psychological and physiological evidence base for mindfulness, mindfulness exercises and meditations, and how to incorporate principles of mindfulness into daily life!Introduction to Autonomous Intelligent Robots [$15] Tuesdays, January 26, February 2, 9: 10-noonPresenter: Dr. Shiqi Zhang, Assistant Professor of Computer Science and Dr. Kaiyan Yu, Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering, BU. This course will cover the basic ideas and techniques underlying the design of artificial intelligence (AI) agents. The class will have perspectives from computer science and mechanical engineering. In the first class, Dr. Shiqi Zhang from BU’s Computer Science department will discuss the following topics: the definition of AI; problems in AI; applications of AI; and recent and ongoing AI research from his group (). In the second class, Dr. Kaiyan Yu, from BU’s Mechanical Engineering department will talk about the following topics: what is Robotics?; problems in Robotics; basic ideas of robot modeling, motion control and motion planning; recent and ongoing Robotics research from her group (). ?In the third class, PhD students from both groups will give short talks focusing on more specific research topics. The Return of Ukulele Steve [$10] Tuesdays, January 26, February 2: 6-8 p.m.Presenter: Steve Gilbert. In my September course, I described how, after my retirement, I started performing for residents of Binghamton-area Senior Living Centers and Nursing homes, and how - when the pandemic made such performances impossible - I began recording songs and disseminating them via Facebook and email distribution lists. This discussion set the stage for me to sing, strum and talk about some of the great songs I play. In the current course, I’ll pick up where I left off, and you’ll help me choose the songs you want to hear and learn more about! There will be lots of singing and a bit of reminiscing about what these songs mean to you. I hope it will be both a little enlightening and a lot of fun!Roman Middle East [$20] Wednesdays, January 27, February 3, 10, 17: 1-3 p.m.Presenter: Nathanael J. Andrade, Dept. of History, BU. What makes the Roman Middle East so fascinating? The reasons are many. It produced the impressive ruins of Palmyra, Petra, and Duro-Europos. Its Jerusalem was the home of the 2nd Jewish Temple. It was where Jesus of Nazareth lived and died, and where the roots of Christianity were laid. Its population spoke or wrote Latin, Greek, various Aramaic dialects, Hebrew and an assortment of North Arabian languages. They worshiped gods of Aramaean, Hittite-Luwian, Canaanite, Arabian, Greek, and Italian origin. This course provides an introduction to the politics and dynamic cultural life of the Middle East under Roman Imperialism.Honoring Experience: The Nonfiction Art of Showing [$20] Thursdays, January 28, February 4, 11, 18: 10-noonDavid Franke, Director of Seven Valleys Project. Participants will be invited to join Dr. David Franke, a published nonfiction author and writing teacher at SUNY Cortland, in developing scenes using the techniques of nonfiction that stress “showing” over “telling.”? These scenes could be a springboard into larger projects, or serve as historical “time capsules” to share with family. Participants are strongly encouraged to read the short examples of nonfiction made available weekly.The Immune System [$5] Thursday, January 28: 1-3 p.m.Presenter: Dennis McGee, Prof. Biology, BU. This presentation will provide a brief overview of the immune system as a process involved in our response to bacteria and viruses, allergic responses, organ transplants, and cancer, ending with information related to the Covid-19 pandemic.George’s Books: Drama of the Aran Islands [$20] Fridays, January 29; February 5, 12, 19:?10-noonLeader: Mary Donnelly, Associate Professor of English at BU. Join us for a trip through the drama of the Aran Islands! This small cluster of islands off Ireland’s west coast has an extraordinarily rich literary tradition. We will be reading works by John Millington Synge (Riders to the Sea), Liam O’Flaherty (Darkness), and Martin McDonough (The Cripple of Inishmaan).Current Events [$10] Fridays, January 29, February 12: 1-3 p.m.Leader: Eugene Burns. We will discuss items in the local, state, national, and international news. Express your opinion and hear other points of view.LYCEUM Artist’s Workshop at Roberson Museum Clayworks [$65] Monday, February 1: 10 a.m.-3 p.m.In this one-day workshop, participants will learn the basics of preparing clay extrusions to weave a basket. There will also be instruction in handbuilding a slab plate and cup. These pots will be glazed and fired by the instructor to be picked up at Roberson at a later date. Weather permitting, pots will be available for everyone to take part in an outdoor horsehair Raku firing. Participants need to wear close-toed shoes and long pants. No previous clay experience required. Class size limit 8. Deadline to register Friday, January 29. Price includes all materials and firings.Tuscan Cooking [$5] Monday, February 1: 1-3 p.m.Presenters:??Maddine Insalaco and Joe Vinson, owners,?. Maddine and Joe,?an American artist couple, will provide one of their interactive demonstrations on how to create a simple pasta dish from their home in Buonconvento,?Tuscany.??The demonstration will be a dialogue in which participants are free to ask questions and contribute to a moderated discussion.??It will include a wine pairing.??They have held landscape painting classes since 1995 in Italy and the U.S.??In 2005, they began offering cooking classes as well as?gastronomic?tours in Tuscany?and,?later, in Sicily (2019).??Shortly after the class participants will?receive the recipe with shopping tips as well as a temporary link to a recording of the session so that you can recreate the prepared dish.Human Sexual Identity [$5] Monday, February 1: 6-8 p.m.Presenter: Kelly Clark, PhD., Q Center director. What if xx and xy was equivalent to 1+1=2 and the reality of human?gender and sexuality is more like ax2+bx+c=0? How would that change things? Dr. Kelly Cark, director of the LGBTQ Center at Binghamton University, will explore the full spectrum of how humans actually show up in the world and what's possible in a society that gets it.ArtRx: An In-depth Study of a Work from the Rockwell Museum [$13] Wednesday, February 3: 6-8 p.m.Presenters: Kate Swanson, Interpretation and Public Engagement at Rockwell Museum, and Rhonda Morton of Savannah Consulting. This special program takes a focused look via Zoom at Rockwell collection artwork in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This program was designed to provide an opportunity to connect with others. Participants should expect to join with microphones and cameras on for a group discussion. This discussion will focus on a single work of art, January by Grant Wood and a theme of "responding to change you didn't ask for."BU Greenhouse Virtual Zoom Tour [$5] Thursday, February 4: 1-3 p.m. (alternate date in case of campus limitations is Thursday, April 8: 1-3 p.m.)Presenter: Laurie Williams, Greenhouse Manager. Laurie Williams will take us on a virtual tour of the E.W. Heier Teaching and Research Greenhouses. The collection first opened in 1961 and the present greenhouse opened in 1981. We will see the different biomes virtually – Warm Temperate, Cool Temperate, Desert, and Tropical – including some plants currently on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List of threatened or endangered plants. We will hear about current conditions and how COVID has affected the greenhouse. The alternate date will only be needed if campus restrictions prevent the class in February.Science Discussion [$10] Fridays, February 5, 19: 1-3 p.m.Leaders: Art Law, Alan Jones, Peter Stiles. In this class we discuss all kinds of scientific topics. Each class covers different subjects, depending on the interest of the discussion leader and class members.?Emphasis will be placed on recent scientific developments. Participants are encouraged to contact the class leader with science articles and topics they wish to discuss. Topics cover everything scientific, from the latest findings on Covid-19 to climate change and green energy, to the latest developments in engineering, biology, social and behavioral sciences, chemistry, physics and cosmology – and more! Sometimes, we even delve into mathematics and the history and philosophy of science.Gardening Naturally: Small Steps for Big Impact [$5] Monday, February 8:10-noonPresenter: Eileen Hazard, Outreach & Volunteer Coordinator at Mt. Cuba Center in Delaware. Mt. Cuba Center’s stunning naturalistic gardens provide food and shelter for birds, butterflies and other pollinators; benefit local water resources; and provide healthy spaces for guests to enjoy. We will share eco-friendly gardening actions, practical examples, and plenty of native plant suggestions so you can do the same at home. ?You’ll be inspired to enhance your yard and community garden with native plants, and will be equipped with practical advice to get started eco-gardening this spring!Notable Nonfiction: Sapiens: A Brief History of Mankind, by Yuval Noah Harari [$5] Monday, February 8: 1-3 p.m.Presenter: Ann Foard. Notable Nonfiction is a continuing series of discussions devoted to important and engaging works of nonfiction. This provocative and compelling book explains how, despite the odds, humans came to be the dominant species on earth and speculates on how that may prove our undoing. Harari’s prose style is witty and engaging. Reading the book before the class is strongly advised.Starting a Perennial Bed/Creating a Butterfly Garden [$5] Tuesday, February 9: 6-8 p.m.Presenter: Tony Antes First Hour: Do you have an area of your lawn where a perennial garden would look great? Then, please attend and find out all the “how-tos.” Second Hour: Our butterflies are in danger. Their habitats are being destroyed, too much insecticide use, etc. Why not provide them with a “safe haven” within your own yard? Come find out what to do.What have we learned from the 2020 Elections?[$10] Thursdays, February 11, 18: 1-3 p.m.Presenter: Chris Rounds. We will explore what happened in national, state and local elections in the fall of 2020. We’ll begin by looking at the presidential election and its aftermath and then explore other topics of interest to the group. We’ll conclude by thinking through what these results imply for the next few years. Are we in a position to address the challenges we face?Exploring Aging [$5] Monday, February 15: 1-3 p.m.Presenter: Chris Rounds [coordinator]: Exploring Aging is an on-going, monthly discussion group within Lyceum which always welcomes new members. Our first meeting of 2021 will be devoted to a discussion of Leo Tolstoy’s The Death of Ivan Ilych. Babara Ann Dailey will lead the discussion. Please read The Death of Ivan Ilych by Leo Tolstoy prior to the meeting.Film Noir: D.O.A. (1949) [$5] Tuesday, February 16: 10-noonPresenter: Brian Wall, Associate Professor of Cinema, BU. Film noir stands as one of America’s greatest contributions to the cinema. But what is it? We’ll engage in a close reading of Rudolph Maté’s great D.O.A. (1949) to explore how film aesthetics—lighting, camera movement, composition—speak to this film’s rich exploration of love and death, race and gender. Please view the movie D.O.A. (1949, directed by Rudolph Maté) prior to our meeting. It is in the public domain, available for free at . It is also available on Amazon Prime Video, free to subscribers.Islands of Contentment [$13] Sunday, February 21: 8:00 p.m.Presenter: Dipti Bramhandkar. Islands of Contentment is a play by Dipti Bramhandkar who grew up in Vestal and currently lives in Manhattan. Islands is an elegy to the (dis)harmony of romantic relationships. People invite us into their intimate, poignant and hilarious interactions with their significant others in the form of modern day confessionals. They reflect on moments that feel strangely familiar: the break up dream, the plight of the nice guy, the ex who unexpectedly shows up, and even a baking obsession. No one writes love songs about this stuff. Dipti will present her play live with actors via Zoom on February 21 at 8 p.m. followed by a short talkback.************REFUND POLICY Because we must pay for trips and dinners in advance of the event, we cannot offer refunds after the deadline stated in the catalog. You may send someone in your place to the dinner or on the trip if you speak with the Lyceum Office in advance of the event.CANCELLATIONSAll classes, even in inclement weather, will take place unless the instructor decides to cancel or the university is closed due to a state of emergency. NOTE: Even if BU classes are cancelled, the university will remain open unless the Governor or other authorized official declares a state of emergency. In cases of cancellation, the Lyceum office will contact all the people registered for the class that day, first via email and then by phone. The office makes every attempt to contact class members in a timely way. If a class is cancelled, a reschedule date is arranged. DO NOT attend a class or event if you have not registered for it and received a course confirmation. If you have any questions, please call the office at 777-2587 Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. or email lyceum@binghamton.edu.Thank you, and enjoy Lyceum!JANUARY 2021MONDAYTUESDAYWEDNESDAYTHURSDAYFRIDAY2510-12 Recycling26 10-12 Intelligent Robots1-3 Tai Chi6-8 Ukulele Steve2710-12 Earth’s History1-3 Roman Middle East6-8 Mindfulness2810-12 Memoir1-3 Immune System2910-12 Geo’s Bks1-3 Current EventsFEBRUARY 2021SUNDAYMONDAYTUESDAYWEDNESDAYTHURSDAYFRIDAY110-3 Clayworks1-3 Tuscan Cooking6-8 Sexual Identity210-12 Intelligent Robots1-3 Tai Chi6-8 Ukulele Steve310-12 Earth’s History1-3 Roman Middle East6-8 ArtRx410-12 Memoir1-3 BU Greenhouse Tour510-12 Geo’s Bks1-3 Science Discussion7810-12 Gardening Naturally1-3 Notable Nonfiction: Sapiens910-12 Intelligent Robots1-3 Tai Chi6-8 Perennial & Butterfly Gardens1010-12 Earth’s History1-3 Roman Middle East1110-12 Memoir1-3 2020 Elections1210-12 Geo’s Bks1-3 Current Events14151-3 Exploring Aging1610-12 Film Noir:D.O.A.1-3 Tai Chi1710-12 Earth’s History1-3 Roman Middle East1810-12 Memoir1-3 2020 Elections1910-12 Geo’s Bks1-3 Science Discussion218 p.m. Islands of Contentment 22232425265397500114300539750011430067310011430067310011430024288753429005010150123825Non-profitOrganizationU.S PostagePAID5010150123825BINGHAMTON UNIVERSITY LYCEUMP.O. Box 6000Binghamton, NY 13902 RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED4295775123825Binghamton, NYPermit # 614295775123825 ................
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