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The Laurier Lifelong Learning lecture series is open to everyone.
Upcoming offerings are listed below. Be the first to know about new and upcoming offerings by signing up for our email list.
- Location: All lectures are held at the Waterloo Memorial Recreation Complex Community Pavillion.
- Date and time: Lectures in Fall 2024 and Winter 2025 will be held on Thursdays. View lecture details below.
- Price: Thursday 90-minute lectures are $16 + HST. Our half-day lecture Aliens, Time Travel and Doomsday Meteorites is $22 + HST.
This year, Laurier is celebrating 100 years of the Faculty of Arts! Any lectures marked by a "***" are taught by instructors from across the Faculty of Arts at Laurier. Attend these lectures to join the celebration!
Fall 2024 Lectures
Register for Fall 2024 courses on our registration website.
Thu. Sep. 26 (1:30 PM - 3:00 PM)
Course Description
When the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (the TRC) presented its 94 recommendations—its Calls to Action—on 2 June 2015, Commissioner Chief Wilton Littlechild told the gathered audience, “Above all, we must remember that this is a Canadian story, not an Indigenous one.” The story he’s referring to is the history of residential schools, and more broadly colonialism of Indigenous peoples. Here, history matters in a big way! Join me on Sept 26th, just a few days before Canada's National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, to learn more about why acknowledging this history is important and what truths we should all know about the Canadian story if we hope to move toward reconciliation in Indigenous-Settler relations in this country.
Instructor Bio
A member of Laurier’s History Department (Waterloo campus) since 2000, Dr. Susan Neylan is a Canadian historian particularly interested in Indigenous-non-Indigenous relations. In her research she specializes in the Indigenous-Church encounter on Northwest Coast of North America in the 19th and 20th centuries and forms of Indigenous Christianity in British Columbia. Recently Dr. Neylan explored the place of Indigenous peoples within the narratives created about the history of the Grand River watershed region through a collaborative project with our local regional museum. Read more on Dr. Nelyan's research.
Wed. Oct. 2 (9:00 AM - 12:00 PM)
Course Description
Are you ready for a cosmic adventure to the stars and beyond?Set sail for a mesmerizing journey across the cosmos to experience the incredible mysteries and wonders of our universe with these three topics:
1. Amazing Time Travel in Movies and Real Science
2. The Quest for Alien Life – Are We Alone?
3. Cosmic Treasures – Unveiling Ancient Doomsday Meteorites
Instructor Bio
Tom Vassos is an astronomer, university instructor, founder of Cosmologists Without Borders, member of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada and author of several books in “The Inspiring Universe Collection” series. Mr. Vassos is a science communicator who is frequently invited as a guest expert on radio and television. He is the Astronomer-in-Residence for Royal Caribbean and Holland America cruise lines, leading eclipse expeditions worldwide. Mr. Vassos’ teaching career spanned 35 years at the University of Toronto and he is teaching two upcoming astronomy courses in the Fall 2024, including one at Toronto Metropolitan University. Mr. Vassos delights in imparting his knowledge to space enthusiasts, young minds and lifelong learners everywhere.
Thu. Oct. 10 (1:30 PM - 3:00 PM)
Course Description
We often think about African migrants and refugees heading to Europe and the West, but most migrate within Africa. Uganda is Africa's biggest refugee host country, and many refugees and other asylum seekers settle in the capital city, Kampala, instead of in camps. This presentation looks at the experiences -especially related to food and family - told by refugees and other forced migrants living in Kampala's informal settlements, based on interviews held in 2023.
Instructor Bio
Andrea Brown is Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science at Wilfrid Laurier University. Her research focus is urban food security in Africa, with particular interest in how this connects with sustainable development, migration, gender, and governance, and the multi-level policy environments supporting anti-poverty measures. Her research centres on cities in Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania.
Thu. Oct. 17 (1:30 PM - 3:00 PM)
Course Description
On July 21st, AD 365 the largest documented earthquake in the Mediterranean, measuring 8.5 on the Richter Scale, struck the island of Crete. Originating underwater, the quake also caused a large tsunami that impacted larges swaths of the Mediterranean coast. The damage this earthquake caused to Crete was immense and scholars have often considered this to be an event that led to substantial cultural, religious, economic, and political change.
But was the transformation so vast or did the population show resilience in the face of catastrophe? This talk investigates the disaster event and its aftermath to assess what transformations did occur.
Instructor Bio
Scott Gallimore is an Associate Professor in the Archaeology & Heritage Studies department at Wilfrid Laurier University. He undertakes field work in Greece every summer and has been part of excavations in many different parts of Greece. His speciality is the analysis of ancient artifacts, especially pottery.
Thu. Oct. 24 (1:30 PM - 3:00 PM)
Course Description
Dramatic changes in urban form have historically followed major shifts in the techniques we use to move around, be it by foot, streetcar, car or along major highway systems. This talk will take a look back at these changes, first conceptually, then by using old photographs, maps as well as modern interactive “streetview” panoramics that will hopefully spur people’s memories (that they can share!).
The lecture will end with open discussion on what transport technology will next lead the way to major urban form change, such as autonomous vehicles and ebikes.
Instructor Bio
Dr. Sean Doherty is professor of Geography & Environmental Studies at WLU, amateur chef and brewer, and founder/chair of an award-winning local charity (kwlegacy.ca). He grew up in Kitchener, is a graduate of St. Jerome’s highschool and the universities of Waterloo and Toronto, and been a visiting researcher in Quebec, Australia, England, Israel and at U. Western.
His research has transitioned from urban/transport to health geography, including exploration of some rather novel questions: Can a smartphone be a health device? How are parks making us healthier? Can text messages make you eat more local foods?
Thur. Oct. 31 (2:00 PM - 3:30 PM)
Course Description
In this first-hand account, Michael Imort and his wife Cathie relate how young-onset Alzheimer’s knocked on their door in the middle of Michael’s ’best years.’ Michael will describe how he grapples with the disease at such a young age and how it has fundamentally changed his outlook on life - for the better. Cathie will explore her steep learning curve, sharing insights she gained into the paramount role of modifiable risk factors in the delay of Alzheimer’s.
Ultimately, their message is one of hope: it is never too early or too late to take action against Alzheimer’s.
Instructor Bio
Since the year 2000, Michael Imort has been an Associate Professor of Cultural and Historical Geography in Laurier' Department of Geography and Environmental Studies. When he was diagnosed with a progressive neurodegenerative condition in 2023, he and his wife Cathie were hurled into a new stage of life from one day to the next.
As they try to make sense of Michael's new reality of cognitive decline, they experience every emotion from heart-wrenching grief to belly-shaking humour. Together, they want to spread the message (exemplified by the comprehensive Lancet Report on Dementia Prevention and Intervention released on July 31) that Alzheimer's and similar conditions can be delayed or even prevented through simple lifestyle and health changes.
Thu. Nov. 7 (1:30 PM - 3:00 PM)
Course Description
We are a century away from the death of Lenin. In this talk Friesen reflects on the death of Lenin and the rise to power of Joseph Stalin. Along the way he will discuss the rise of the cult of Lenin as well as the formation of the USSR and its connection to the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine. Expect cameo appearances from Trotsky, Putin and others.
Instructor Bio
Leonard G. Friesen has been a professor of History at Wilfrid Laurier University since 1994 and is a specialist in Imperial Russian and Soviet history. During these years, and until Covid, he made almost annual trips to Russia and Ukraine. Friesen's own roots are from the Black Sea lands and includes his mother, who was born in the Soviet Union in 1929.
Thu. Nov. 14 (2:00 PM - 3:30 PM)
Course Description
If you Google Bob Dylan you will find out that he is considered by many people to be the greatest American songwriter. If you followed his early career you might remember him mostly as a 1960s protest singer-songwriter with a rough-hewn, but authentic voice, or the artsy disruptor who caused controversy at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival when he plugged in an electric guitar. This lecture will focus on Dylan’s influence over the music of the 1960s and beyond to demonstrate how his songwriting and artistic experimentation fundamentally altered the popular music landscape and helped rock 'n' roll come.
Instructor Bio
Brent Hagerman teaches courses on popular music and religion at WLU, including “The History of Rock Music” for the Faculty of Music. His research is on Jamaican music and religion, has published several articles on reggae, and two books: Bob Marley FAQ: All That's Left to Know About the King of Reggae (Backbeat, 2018), and King Yellowman: Meaningful Bodies in Jamaican Dancehall Culture (University of West Indies Press, 2021).
Thu. Nov. 21 (1:30 PM - 3:00 PM)
Course Description
This talk will explore music’s role in promoting mental health and wellness. Drawing upon her work as a certified music therapist in mental health treatment settings, Dr. Mitchell will explore the research and practice of music therapists as well as ways that we can all integrate music into our everyday lives.
Instructor Bio
Elizabeth Mitchell, PhD, began piano lessons at the age of six, and singing in choirs shortly after that. A registered psychotherapist and certified music therapist, Liz has extensive experience working in mental health treatment settings with children, adolescents, and adults. In 2020, Liz was appointed Assistant Professor at Wilfrid Laurier University, where she coordinates the Bachelor of Music Therapy program, and in 2024 she won Laurier’s “Hoffman-Little Award” for teaching excellence.
Liz holds an ARCT (Associate of the Royal Conservatory of Toronto) in piano performance. Liz recently served as Ethics Chair for the Canadian Association of Music Therapists and sings professionally with the Canadian Chamber Choir.
Thu. Nov. 28 (1:30 PM - 3:00 PM)
Course Description
How can regular people make change in their communities? Learn strategies for community development and gain confidence in your ability to promote change as an individual or part of a larger group. Key takeaways will include: finding your "sweet spot," effective communication strategies, and community impact tools.
Instructor Bio
Becca McLellan (WLU B.A. 2012, B.Ed, MA Candidate) has worked in management in the charity sector in Brantford, Ontario for over a decade in the areas of poverty alleviation, housing security, youth empowerment, and supporting families. Her extensive experience in community development both as an employee and volunteer have allowed her to coach and teach numerous postsecondary students and community members to take on grassroots-level projects to help their communities.
Thu. Dec. 5 (1:30 PM - 3:00 PM)
Course Description
In this lecture, we will do a deep-dive into the complex and nuanced topic of emotions - both the experience and regulation of them. More specifically, we will seek to answer the following four questions: 1) Definition: What are emotions? 2) Function: What is their purpose? 3) Context: When are they adaptive? 4) Emotion Regulation: What can you do to change them?
Instructor Bio
Dr. Meaghan Barlow is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology, and director of the Self-regulation, Emotion, and Aging (SEA) Lab at Wilfrid Laurier University. Her research interests are broad, spanning lifespan, social, personality, and health psychology. Her research includes explorations of: 1) age-related structures, functions, and consequences of emotional experiences. 2) motivational factors that protect older adults’ well-being and health well into advanced old age, 3) the experiences, beliefs, and definitions of well-being across the adult lifespan, and 4) community-based social interventions.
Thu. Dec. 12 (2:00 PM - 3:30 PM)
Course Description
Conversation analysis is the study of action in and through talk. It was first conceived and developed in the field of sociology by Harvey Sacks and his collaborators, Emanuel Schegloff and Gail Jefferson. As a method for analysing everyday interactions, conversation analysis has proliferated considerably and is now a well-established method used in linguistics, psychology, medicine, anthropology, and cognitive science.
This lecture will introduce the method of conversation analysis. It will highlight the basic structures of conversation and the ways these structures are used as the building blocks for social actions in interaction. We will then collectively apply this method to recorded interactions to understand how actions are produced by speakers and how these actions might be resisted.
Instructor Bio
Jeffrey Aguinaldo is Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology at Wilfrid Laurier University. His research interests are situated at the intersection of health, society, and interaction. He teaches qualitative methods and conducts research using conversation analysis. He is currently a Research Fellow in the Laurier Centre for Studies in Canada.
Winter 2025 Lectures
Register for Winter 2025 courses on our registration website.
Reach out to lifelonglearning@wlu.ca with any hopes, dreams, or topics of interest!
Interested in teaching? Apply to lead a LLL lecture!
Thursday, Jan. 16 (1:30 - 3 p.m)
Course Description
Would you believe that nothing is quite as memorable – or as mundane! – as washing the dishes? Would you believe that washing the dishes can change the world? This presentation will include ethical, chemical, philosophical, and spiritual perspectives on the day-to-day task of washing dirty dishes. Do not assume that the kitchen sink is devoid of mindfulness and politics! Do not forget about the times when you experienced an epiphany or a great conversation amidst the post-supper grime! This presentation will not fully resolve the matter of how to load the dishwasher, but it might inspire you to ask some new questions about what happens in and near the kitchen sink.
Instructor Bio
Matthew Bailey-Dick has worked as an educator in both academic and non-academic settings, as a home renovator, and as a hospice volunteer. Currently he works as a Mennonite pastor. In his graduate studies Matthew looked into the connections between adult education, death education, and hope. In relation to the present topic, he lives in a house where the kitchen sink is of the double-bowl design (good) featuring a 70/30 ratio (not so good).
Thursday, Jan. 23 (1:30 - 3 p.m)
Course Description
Post-war German society has earned a lot of admiration from around the world for its process of "collective atonement." There have been ups and downs, but Germany's general willingness to confront the crimes it committed during the Third Reich through study, acknowledgement, and prosecutions that continue to this day has often been held up as a model for other countries to follow. A cornerstone of this process has been Germany's support of Jewish culture in Germany as well as extensive cultural, economic, and foreign policy ties with Israel. But since October 7th a number of high profile incidents in Germany have seen critics of Israel's actions in Gaza or apologists for the Palestinian cause criticized or censored for their views, causing Germany's philosemitism to come under increasing scrutiny. This presentation will examine how the war in Gaza has divided German society and rattled the country’s understanding of itself.
Instructor Bio
James Skidmore is Professor of German Studies at the University of Waterloo and director of the Waterloo Centre for German Studies, a research institute at the university.Thursday, Jan. 30 (1:30 - 3 p.m)
Course Description
Food insecurity in northern regions of Canada is often highlighted in national news. The high cost of food and the impacts of climate change make food less accessible to northern communities. This talk will highlight some of the issues, but also some of the innovations and work communities are doing to continue to adapt to climate change and build more sustainable food systems across the region.
Instructor Bio
Dr. Andrew Spring is the Canada Research Chair in Northern Sustainable Food Systems, and Assistant Professor in the Department of Geography and Environmental Studies at Wilfrid Laurier University. He is also the Director of the Laurier Centre for Sustainable Food Systems and Director of Research for the UNESCO Chair in Food, Biodiversity and Sustainability Studies. He has established an extensive research program with Indigenous communities and government partners in the NWT and has been able to build a large and diverse network of communities, local and regional Indigenous governments, territorial and federal government agencies, and academic researchers across the social, health, and natural sciences to address issues of climate change, sustainability, and food security.
Thursday, Feb. 6 (1:30 - 3 p.m)
Course Description
In 1849, Giacomo Meyerbeer’s Le Prophète premiered at the Paris Opéra. Its elaborate staging featured decors from renowned scenic artists, hundreds of costumes, a ballet on roller skates, a brass band stage procession including newly patented saxhorns, and a recently invented, battery-powered, electric lamp, used to create the impressive illusion of a rising sun. Brought to the Opéra by renowned scientist Léon Foucault and a set of reputable precision instrument makers at the time, the arc lamp was part of a nineteenth-century trend towards bigger stage productions and special effects. Behind the scenes, it involved the work a growing group of machinists and other skilled workers employed by the Opéra to operate, maintain, and repair the technical and scientific equipment increasingly required to create spectacle not just on stage but throughout the building as innovative lighting, heating, and ventilation systems were gradually installed over the century. In fact, the Opéra building often served as a leader, adopting new technology before the rest of the city. But all of this came at a cost, and with the growth in personnel, equipment, and stage effects came increased concerns about fires, accidents, and safety. In 1852, following devastating fires in several theatres, the state mandated the presence of physicians at all performances. The next few decades brought both medical staff and chemical experts to the Opéra as well as protocols for fire safety, inspections, and rising insurance costs. This talk will explore the role scientists played at the Opéra during the nineteenth century in creating spectacular effects on stage while maintaining the safety of artists on stage, machinists operating the equipment, and the public attending the performances.
Instructor Bio
Sofie Lachapelle is a historian of science and the Dean of the Faculty of Arts here at Laurier. She is the author of Conjuring Science: A History of Scientific Entertainment and Stage Magic in Modern France (2015) as well as several other publications on the history of science and public entertainment. Her more recent work deals with nineteenth-century science, technology, and medicine at the Paris Opera.Thursday, Feb. 13 (1:30 - 3 p.m)
Course Description
This lecture will explore the landscape history of Waterloo Region. We will look at a long history of rivers, lakes, hills, and the forces that created them. In this lecture you will learn how geology, climate and biology combine to create the geography you see around you.
Instructor Bio
Mary-Louise Byrne, a coastal geomorphologist, explores processes of sediment transport and ecosystem change on Great Lakes beaches and dunes. She is an active member of the Association of Professional Geoscientists of Ontario (APGO) serving on the Discipline Committee. Dr. Byrne has a wide range of university administrative experience and is currently Chair of Geography and Environmental Studies at Wilfrid Laurier University. She co-authors the Canadian edition of Geosystems: an introduction to physical geography and regularly teaches the introductory course. She has teaching experience at all levels from first year to graduate teaching focussing on student engagement through in-class, field and lab experience.Thursday, Feb. 20 (1:30 - 3 p.m)
Course Description
Learn some basic breathing practices for health and well-being. You’ll learn some breathing anatomy (don’t worry! It’s fun and interesting!), as well as some techniques to increase breath capacity and calm yourself at the same time. We’ll also experiment with using this newfound super power to support a stronger and more embodied speaking voice.
Instructor Bio
Canadian mezzo-soprano Kimberly Barber had a 35 year career on international operatic and concert stages (Paris, Chicago, New York City, London, Rome, Tokyo, Frankfurt, Montreal, Seattle and Toronto were among her stomping grounds) in a diverse and eclectic repertoire. Learn more at https://kimberlybarber.com
Professor of Voice at Wilfrid Laurier University since 2002, Kimberly has coordinated Opera Laurier throughout most of her tenure. Since July 2017, she has been Associate Dean, External Affairs, Partnerships and Graduate Studies in the Faculty of Music. She teaches and adjudicates across Canada, the US and in Europe at universities, conservatories and Young Artist Programs, and is frequently called upon to serve on advisory panels for the arts, as well as leading workshops and clinics for both singers and laypeople of all walks of life.
Thursday, Feb. 27 (1:30 - 3 p.m)
Course Description
Scientists have found that the loss of western honeybee diversity is a key factor in the high bee mortality rates beekeepers have faced in the last two decades. In Ukraine’s Transcarpathia Region, efforts to conserve a local honeybee population, Carpathian bees, stretch back to the 1960s when Ukraine was part of the Soviet Union. In this talk I will explore the entanglement of science and transborder commerce (including exports to Canada) in maintaining this breeding program through the tumultuous period from Ukrainian independence to the full-scale Russian invasion.
Instructor Bio
Tanya Richardson is an environmental anthropologist and Associate Professor at Wilfrid Laurier University (Canada) in the Anthropology and Global Studies programs. Her research about nature conservation and ecological restoration in Ukraine’s Danube Delta and along its Black Sea Coast has appeared in journals such as Ethnos: Journal of Anthropology, Science as Culture, Canadian Slavonic Papers, Journal of Agrarian Change, Suomen Antropologi, and Development and Change. She is also the author of Kaleidoscopic Odessa: History and Place in Contemporary Ukraine and is currently writing a book about researching, conserving, and trading Carpathian honeybees in Ukraine and beyond.
Thursday, March 6 (1:30 - 3 p.m)
Course Description
Stormwater management ponds are increasingly incorporated into new developments where they provide flood protection, water treatment and recreational/aesthetic value. But how similar are they to natural wetlands? Can they replace wetlands lost through increased human pressures? This talk will explore the role and functioning of stormwater management ponds and examine the conditions present in these ponds over multiple seasons with an emphasis on their potential effects on wetland plants and animals.
Instructor Bio
Dr. Kevin Stevens is a wetland plant ecologist in the Department of Biology at Laurier. He has 20 years of experience working with wetland plants. His research is focused on understanding the effects of anthropogenic stressors on wetland vegetation and the capacity of wetland plants to mediate the often-adverse effects associated with increasing urban development.
Thursday, March 13 (1:30 - 3 p.m)
Course Description
How has the idea, or in Sherrill Grace’s words, “the mentality” of the North, shaped the narrative of Canadian identity in both French and English literature? Why does it continue to captivate readers and authors alike? Moreover, why is this exploration so often set against the backdrop of a dominant and threatening US presence?
This course will explore how contemporary novels (in English and French) by authors like Margaret Atwood, Alain Beaulieu, Nathan Munn, and Indigenous authors Thomas King and Cherie Dimaline, through the lens of French language and American cultural influences, delve into the unique cultural duality of both Québec and Canada. It will also examine the transnational relationships with the US, often portrayed as a menacing force, responsible for ecological disasters or even invading Québec as in Munn’s novel. This body of work collectively reflects on how the vision of “the true North” has evolved and adapted to current socio-political challenges.
Instructor Bio
Simona Emilia Pruteanu is an Associate Professor in the Department of Languages and Literatures at Wilfrid Laurier University. Her research areas include migrant writing in France, Quebec, and the former French colonies in Africa, as well as Americanness and Latin Americanness (américanité et amérilatinité) in Quebec literature. She is the author of one monograph titled Migrant Writing in France and Quebec: A Comparative Analysis (L’écriture migrante en France et au Québec: une analyse comparative, 2011) and co-editor of the volume Citizenship and Belonging in France and North America (Palgrave/Macmillan 2020). She was awarded the 2024 Donald F. Morgenson Faculty Awards for Teaching Excellence - Excellence in Internationalization Award.
Wednesday, March 19 (10:30 a.m. - 12 noon)
Course Description
Canadians often remember the mid-20th century as a time of growth and prosperity. In the context of the Cold War nuclear arms race, however, global competition had local consequences for Indigenous peoples and their territories. Dr. Lianne Leddy will share some of her research findings from her book, Serpent River Resurgence: Confronting Colonialism at Elliot Lake, which examines Anishinaabe resistance to colonialism and environmental devastation in her homeland.
Instructor Bio
Lianne C. Leddy is Anishinaabekwe and member of Serpent River First Nation. She is Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Histories and Historical Practice in Canada and an associate professor in History at Wilfrid Laurier University. Leddy’s award-winning monograph, Serpent River Resurgence: Confronting Uranium Mining at Elliot Lake was published in 2022 by University of Toronto Press.
Thursday, March 27 (1:30 - 3 p.m)
Course Description
Some philosophers have suggested that we may be living in a simulation; that is, we might in fact be nothing more than bits of code being run on a computer in another world. The idea sounds outrageous but is remarkably difficult to disprove. We will explore why it is so hard to disprove and also examine some implications for our understanding of our place in the world if the idea is true.
Instructor Bio
Byron is Professor of Philosophy at WLU and is the author of several books on the climate crisis. His current work is on various aspects of the philosophy of digital technology.