January 2022

Virtual Lecture Series

Via ZOOM, join us for a lecture followed by questions and answers each week in January 2022.

Week 1: “Applying Systems Thinking to Food and
Agriculture Sustainability Challenges”

Dr. Lisa Powell

Sweet Briar College

January 10, 2022,  Monday, 10 am MST  CLOSED

Join Dr. Powell as she explores the complexities contained within seemingly simple things that surround us every day, including common foods.  We will consider questions and challenges around making these foods more “sustainable.”  Through the discussion of intertwined environmental, social, and economic challenges, she will explore strategies for approaching complex problems, focusing on systems thinking. 

Week 2: “Black Holes: Peering Behind the Curtain of One of Nature’s Greatest Mysteries”

Dr. Gary Felder

Smith College

January 17, 2022,  Monday, 10 am MST CLOSED

Curious about some of the most mysterious things in our known universe? Are you a fan of Neil deGrasse Tyson? Join Dr. Felder for his talk exploring black holes.
A black hole is an object so dense that nothing, not even light itself, can escape from its gravity. While we can’t see inside a black hole, we still have so much to learn by observing matter as it falls in towards them, and by using the laws of physics to predict what happens inside. Are black holes singularities of infinite density? Are they wormholes to other regions of time and space? What would you experience if you fell into a black hole? We will also explore two recent groundbreaking observations: the 2015 measurement of gravity waves from two colliding black holes, and the 2017 first-ever photograph of a black hole. 

Week 3: “Environmental Critical Zones/Youth Voices: Reading the Wrack Lines”

Andrea Wollensak, Professor of Art

Conneticut College

January 28, 2022 FRIDAY, 10 am MST CLOSED