Science, Technology, Engineering & Math   

Inspired by a short article titled "15 Fantastic Extra Uses for Your Smartphone" by Edward C. Baig in the December 2021 AARP Bulletin, this seminar will give you hands-on demonstrations of how to do more than make and receive calls and texts. We will cover smartphone features such as timer, flashlight, measurement, navigation system, voice recorder, magnifying glass and pedometer, and suggest free apps to download for other useful purposes. The sessions will cover both the Apple iPhone and Google Android phone and will be structured so you don't have to participate in the section about a phone you don't have. In this Zoom course, you will be able to see the presenter's phone and follow along on your own phone. Detailed PowerPoint slides and a recording of all sessions will be provided. Students should update their smartphones to the latest operating system, be familiar with the basic operations of their phones, and know their passwords for the App Store or the Google Play store.

The Electric Vehicle (EV) market is expanding rapidly, government incentives for them are changing, and the charging infrastructure for road trips is improving. We will give you an up-to-date picture of all of this and more. Should I buy an EV? Which EV is best for me? How can I get the electric vehicle I want? We want to help you make informed decisions based on the answers to all those questions. We will compare gasoline powered cars to Plug-in Hybrid EVs and EVs. We’ll look at the environmental effects, how each works, their pros and cons, how many are on the road, costs of buying and owning, and availability. After our two 90-minute class sessions you will be invited to attend a Siskiyou and Oregon Hybrid and Electric Vehicle Association (SOHEVA) outdoor event to see some local EVs and PHEVs and talk to their owners about their experiences.

This course will address the anatomical, physiological, and experiential aspects of the sense of touch, including information on informal and formal ways to tap this sense. Class sessions will provide scientific evidence for the benefits of receiving/giving touch, how to select a touch therapist, and various massage modalities. The instructional methods will be in the form of lectures delivered via PowerPoint, along with demonstrations and handouts. The demonstrations will illustrate several simple partner massage and self-massage techniques. The handouts will provide step-by-step descriptions of these techniques. A previously held OLLI course titled the “Science of Skin” covered aspects of the sense of touch. Students do not need any particular background to participate.

Photoshop has a steep learning curve and can be intimidating to the first-time user. This course will take some of the mystery out of the software by demonstrating techniques used by photographers to improve and enhance their photographs. Students will learn how to set up and customize the workspace, make basic global adjustments to lighting and contrast, convert photos to black and white, isolate areas for correction using layers and masks, and turn their photos into art using the filter gallery and texture overlays. Students should have some knowledge of digital photography and sufficient knowledge of file management to readily access the photos on their computers. This is an introductory course and will only scratch the surface of this powerful software. Suggestions for further study will be provided. The course will be taught via Zoom with the instructor sharing her screen for live demonstrations in Photoshop. There will be plenty of time for questions.

NOTE: Students are encouraged but not required to subscribe to the Adobe Photography Plan which costs $19.99 a month and provides access to the latest version of both Photoshop and Lightroom software. Photoshop Elements will not be suitable for this class as the user interface and command structure are different than Photoshop. 

Worlds in our solar system and beyond almost certainly harbor life! In this fact-packed, interactive class, we explore definitions and forms of life, how life might be detected from a distance and other timely issues in the search for extraterrestrial life, as well as the creation of alien life in the lab and the feasibility of various science-fiction ideas. Approximately 4.5 billion years ago, Earth chemistry evolved into Earth life. Join us as we explore how this process might unfold on other worlds! No prior knowledge of physics, chemistry or biology required. 

Why are there 88 keys on a piano? Can you get cancer from your microwave oven? A static shock from touching a doorknob can be 3,000 volts or more, so why doesn't it kill you? What is the Green Flash?  Why is the sky blue?  What is a black hole? Why do diamonds sparkle?  Why are rainbows semicircular? Why is wine radioactive?  Is there really more energy in a pound of chocolate chip cookies than a pound of TNT?  Where does energy come from anyway and what does E=mc^2 have to do with it?  Time ticks at the same rate everywhere, right?  What does general relativity have to do with GPS? If you would like to know the physics behind these questions, think about signing up for this four-session class.  No math needed, though I don't guarantee I won't put an equation or two on the board to talk about.

We know that Earth’s climate is changing, but how do we know that human actions are a primary factor today given that climate has changed throughout geologic time? We begin by examining the many natural factors that control climate change on timescales ranging from millions of years to just a few years. These natural influences include external factors such as the position of the continents, the orbital parameters of the Earth/Sun/Moon system, and volcanic eruptions. We also consider variability arising from within the climate system due to phenomena like El Niños and La Niñas. We then shift focus from geologic time scales to the natural and human influences on the climate of the last 2,000 years. How have scientists identified human “fingerprints” in observations of climate change? Are droughts, heat waves, and wildfires being affected by climate change? The final course segment examines projected climate changes over the next 100 years, based on different emissions scenarios. 

Let’s explore the immune system together in a step-by-step fashion to untangle its many mysteries. This very complex, life-saving system protects us on a daily basis from a world of threats including viruses, bacteria, fungi, parasites, and toxins. How the immune system distinguishes between “self” and “non-self” is one of many fascinating aspects to be discussed. Presentations will examine innate and adaptive immunity, as well as the major organs, cells and messenger molecules involved in immune function. Knowledge is powerful, and the better we understand the workings of the immune system the better we can support its function. The topic is especially important in this time of COVID-19, with many questions surrounding vaccines and preventative measures. This introductory science-based Zoom course will incorporate easy-to-understand full color slides, lectures, a few short videos, and time for discussion with questions and answers.

People who enjoy the outdoors have an appreciation of the beauty and complexity of nature. This course will highlight the incredible strategies that plants, animals, bacteria, viruses, and parasites have to propagate and adapt. Unfortunately, some of these strategies can impact human health, which will be the basis of this course. Lecture and PowerPoint topics will include: plants, wild animal attacks, parasites, snakes, tick borne diseases, sun and skin, spiders and insects, and fungal infections. A science background is not required, just curiosity and an interest in understanding our complex ecosystems.      

On August 11, 2022, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) released its advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPR), titled “Trade Regulation Rule on Commercial Surveillance and Data Security.” This ANPR is the first in a series of steps by the FTC that, if completed, could culminate in the adoption of the first nationwide, sweeping privacy regulation. The ANPR asks a wide range of questions about privacy, data security, and algorithmic uses, and suggests a number of paths forward for greater regulation of privacy and what it calls “commercial surveillance.” This course will explore the topic of online privacy and examine the questions posed in the above ANPR.  In particular, we will look at the various ways that the internet (online) access may intersect with privacy and discuss mechanisms that can be used to block personally identifiable information from release to online entities when desired.

NOTES: There will be no class meeting on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Monday January 16. Two sections of this course are being offered, one on Zoom and one in-person. These sections will meet at the same day/time, e.g. a "hybrid" course. 

On August 11, 2022, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) released its advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPR), titled “Trade Regulation Rule on Commercial Surveillance and Data Security.” This ANPR is the first in a series of steps by the FTC that, if completed, could culminate in the adoption of the first nationwide, sweeping privacy regulation. The ANPR asks a wide range of questions about privacy, data security, and algorithmic uses, and suggests a number of paths forward for greater regulation of privacy and what it calls “commercial surveillance.” This course will explore the topic of online privacy and examine the questions posed in the above ANPR.  In particular, we will look at the various ways that the internet (online) access may intersect with privacy and discuss mechanisms that can be used to block personally identifiable information from release to online entities when desired.

NOTES: There will be no class meeting on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Monday January 16. Two sections of this course are being offered, one on Zoom and one in-person. These sections will meet at the same day/time, e.g. a "hybrid" course. 

This course is designed to help participants take, organize, store, edit, and share digital photos and videos. Emphasis will be on using Apple Photos on the iPhone, Mac, and iCloud. Students will learn to manage iCloud settings; store photos and videos; perform basic edits; set up albums and slideshows; share photos; search and organize photos by person, location, and activities; and remove duplicate photos. Privacy and security issues will also be discussed. Participants should be able to use Zoom for video conferencing and have a basic comfort taking digital photos and accessing the Apple Photos application on your iPhone and computer.

Have you: Ever felt nauseous on an elevator? Wondered how the planets circled the sun? Felt something push you to the side when your car goes around a corner? Learned how your GPS uses Einstein’s theory of gravity to calculate your location correctly? In this course after studying motion and forces, you’ll learn to understand the answers to these questions and how Einstein modified Newton’s Laws of Motion and Newton’s Law of Gravity. The course will consist mainly of lectures using PowerPoint presentations, supplemented with animations and other illustrations from the internet. Questions are always encouraged!

People rely on plants for their very existence and yet often take plants for granted. This course will foster an appreciation for the importance of plants in our daily lives. We will examine how plants contribute to our well-being by providing the basics such as oxygen, food, shelter, and clothing. Basic plant structure, growth, reproduction and photosynthesis will be reviewed. Then we will study a wide array of economically important plants including fruits and seeds, grasses and cereals, and legumes with a focus on botanical classification, domestication and cultivation, and economic and historical aspects of plant use. Additional topics include fermentation, plants as spices, and the role of plant compounds as medicines and psychoactive/stimulating agents. Finally, we will discuss how plants influence climate change, as well as the widespread extinction of plant species worldwide. Lectures will be interactive, and plant material will be brought in periodically to demonstrate concepts.

Historically, morality has been studied as if it were a human invention. This has been the approach of philosophical thinking and writing in the field of ethics for over 2000 years. Recently, however, biologists have been studying morality as an adaptation, attempting to discover how morality functions and how it evolved. We'll examine five types of moral adaptation, all of which share a commonality: they enhance survivorship and reproductive success. Genetically based traits that enhance survivorship and reproduction will pass on copies of genes that produce the trait to their offspring. Over time, both the trait and the genes producing it will increase. Seven sessions cover: 1) evolution and misconceptions; 2) genes and behavior; 3) Jonathan Haidt’s 5 dimensions of morality: conservatives and liberals; 4) kin selection and caring; 5) reciprocal altruism and fairness; 6) hierarchy, xenophobia; and 7) disgust and purity. Methods include readings, videos, lectures, group discussion.

Muscle is the engine that animates behavior in all animals. What do you know about the system comprising 40% of your body mass? We will discuss the structural basis of contraction, muscle mechanics, the sources of energy to contracting muscles, and how muscle is controlled by the nervous system in humans and a variety of other creatures. For instance, how do the muscles of chickens, hummingbirds, fish, and arthropods such as insects and crabs differ from one another? Why do sprinters make lousy long-distance runners and vice versa? How do you know how much force to apply when picking up an object? How do performance-enhancing drugs affect the muscles of athletes? Why does muscle strength decline with age? PowerPoint slides, YouTube videos, and university educational sources will complement lecture material. No prior knowledge of physiology is required.

Topics for this course include the Big Bang, energy fields, creation of the universe, supernovae, and beautiful nebulae. The video “Snowball Earth” shows when the earth froze solid at about 700 million years ago.   This video is an excellent presentation of the formation of life and the role oxygen played in the formation of collagen and the rise of multicellular life. Then comes the Cambrian Explosion and first animal life (the sponge) about 500 million years ago.  Supernovae and nebulae will be seen in new detail with videos from the James Webb telescope.  There will be Burgess and Drumheller Fossil slides from BC, Canada.  Then Darwin's "Dangerous Idea” video and his view of evolution. The class will also briefly discuss modern astrophysics, DNA manipulation, and biomedicine, all of which are important for our understanding of what the future holds for us. No formal background in science is required.

Math tasks for which the plan of attack is clear might be called “exercises,” while enthusiasts often save the word “problem” for situations in which the methodology is unclear. Problem solving can be thought of as the act of working toward a solution when we don’t know precisely how to reach it. It requires persistence and a shift in approach when the one we’ve tried leads to a dead end. We will examine strategies such as drawing a picture, writing an equation, working backwards, breaking a problem into parts, and looking for patterns. With practice, we can learn to recognize strategies likely to bear fruit when given a problem that challenges us. We will look at a variety of problems collected during the instructor’s 40+ years as a teacher. Here’s an example: In how many ways can ten people (all different heights) line up so that nobody is sandwiched between two taller people? All are welcome, and no prerequisite knowledge is required. Let's have fun doing math together!