Beginning with a short history of the Rio Grande Southern Railroad, the Life-Long Learning Free Lecture Series at Fort Lewis College will launch its 17th year of programs Jan. 19.
Co-sponsored by the Office of the President and a volunteer organization called the FLC Professional Associates, the series features FLC professors, community experts and out-of-town speakers. The idea is to explore topics of current and historical interest and follow up with a community discussion.
The one-hour talks begin at 7 p.m. Thursdays in 130 Noble Hall. They are free, open to the public and there’s plenty of free parking.
Cres Fleming, a retired chemist and railroad historian, opens the winter series with a summary of the Rio Grande Southern. Other speakers will focus on issues ranging from climate change to food security and Gustav Mahler’s music to current research in aging.
The 2017 winter series includes:
Jan. 19: “The Rio Grande Southern Railroad: A Short, Eventful History,” by Cres Fleming, retired chemist, railroad historian, volunteer and collector. Jan. 26: “Climate Change and Projections for the Future,” by Marcie Bidwell, director of Mountain Studies Institute, and Renee Rondeau, conservation biologist with Colorado Natural Heritage.Feb. 2: “Food Security: An Inconvenient Truth – Global to Local Perspectives,” by Dick White, professor emeritus of astronomy, sustainability advocate and member of the Durango City Council.Feb. 9: “The Amazing Gustav Mahler: His Life, Loves and Music,” by Dan Morgenstern, musician, raconteur and harpsichord builder.Feb. 16: “Social Styles at Work and Play,” by Deanne Idar, president of Top Seed Leadership Coaching. Feb. 23: “Surfing the Tsunami: Constantly New and Ever-Changing Technology,” by Martha Talman, director of Reed Library at FLC.March 2: “Are We a Warlike Species?” by Tom Givón, retired professor of linguistics and cognitive science and Colorado rancher.March 9: No presentation because of FLC spring break.March 16: “Lost and Found: Stories of Theresienstadt and Terezín,” by Czech-American Frank Fristensky, general manager of Tour Central Europe, and Durango Herald arts journalist Judith Reynolds.March 23: “Climate Change, Population and the Ethics of Making Babies,” by Travis N. Rieder, philosopher and bioethicist at The Johns Hopkins Berman Institute of Bioethics in Baltimore. For more information, visit www.fortlewis.edu/professionalassociates.
