Sept. 6, 2017 — CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) welcomes another partner this year in the University’s fall Library Lecture Series, which begins Sept. 9 and wraps up Dec. 9 and explores everything from the history of organized labor to the gulf between the young and old in Ventura County.
“The lecture series this fall features a range of historical and contemporary topics, from ‘Fake News’ to a ‘New Option at the End of Life’, as we continue to explore issues that inform modern life,” said Interim Dean of Arts & Sciences Jim Meriwether, Ph.D., whose office put together the series. “We also are delighted to partner with a new venue, the Oxnard Public Library.”
The lectures at six libraries throughout the county are given by CSUCI faculty volunteering their time and expertise. This year also includes lectures offered in Spanish or with bilingual translation.
Blanchard Community Library, 119 N. 8th Street, Santa Paula
Lectures are select Tuesdays from 6:30 to 8 p.m.
Sept. 12: Assistant Professor of Sociology Luis A. Sánchez, Ph.D. presents “We are the World: Exploring Trends in Global Poverty and Health”
According to the United Nations, the world’s current population is nearly 7.5 billion and projected to reach 9.8 billion by 2050. Aside from population growth numbers, surveys suggest people are largely misinformed about the current global landscape when it comes to hunger and poverty. Sánchez will challenge preconceived notions about the world’s population and provide a better understanding of our ever-changing and more interconnected world.
Oct. 10: (Spanish Presentation) “Cómo Preparar Sus Hijos Para Estudiar en la Universidad” by Ernesto Guerrero Jr., Ed.D., Director of Academic Advising at CSUCI.
En este taller hablaremos de las cosas que padres e hijos deben hace desde la secundaria o preparatoria para tener las mejores oportunidades para estudiar al nivel universitario. Específicamente, hablaremos sobre los cursos que deben tomar, cómo llenar las solicitudes de las universidades, y cómo solicitar ayuda financiera del gobierno para pagar la colegiatura. Invitamos a estudiantes, padres, y familiares que tienen cualquier duda o pregunta sobre este tema que vengan a este taller.
Nov. 7: (Bilingual Presentation) Assistant Professor of English Georgina Guzmán, Ph.D. presents “Ramona, Popular Culture, and Southern California Literature”
Did you know that Helen Hunt Jackson's famous novel Ramona (1884) was set in Ventura County? In this bilingual presentation, Guzmán will discuss the book and how it shaped ideas and perceptions about Southern California, the land, and its diverse population from the late 1800s up until today. “Ramona” continues to be a prominent figure in popular culture even becoming the subject of a recent Mexican telenovela.
Oxnard Public Library, 251 S. A Street, Oxnard
Lectures are select Tuesdays from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 19: Assistant Professor of Chicano Studies Nicholas Centino, Ph.D. presents “Zoot Suiters.”
It’s been almost 75 years since the Zoot Suit Riots in Los Angeles, when servicemen and civilians attacked Chicana/o and Latina/o youth who were wearing “zoot suits,” calling them unpatriotic. Centino will talk about the “pachucas/os” subculture of the World War II home front, and the current revival of the zoot suit era style, music, dance and culture in the Southwest, and how this fits in our current political atmosphere.
Oct. 17: (Spanish Presentation) “Cómo Preparar Sus Hijos Para Estudiar en la Universidad” por CSUCI Director of Academic Advising Ernesto Guerrero Jr., Ed.D.
En este taller hablaremos de las cosas que padres e hijos deben hace desde la secundaria o preparatoria para tener las mejores oportunidades para estudiar al nivel universitario. Específicamente, hablaremos sobre los cursos que deben tomar, cómo llenar las solicitudes de las universidades, y cómo solicitar ayuda financiera del gobierno para pagar la colegiatura. Invitamos a estudiantes, padres, y familiares que tienen cualquier duda o pregunta sobre este tema que vengan a este taller.
City of Camarillo Public Library, 4101 E. Las Posas Rd. Camarillo
Lectures are select Mondays from 6:30 to 8 p.m.
Sept. 11: Assistant Professor of Environmental Science & Resource Management Clare Steele, Ph.D. presents “Marine microplastics: is plastic pollution hiding at your local beach?”
Too small to be collected during a beach cleanup, microplastics are accumulating in the world’s oceans and beaches. Microplastics can be from the microbeads you find in shampoos and cleansers, or they could be tiny fragments that break off from the plastics floating around in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, washing up on the world’s beaches, infiltrating our food, our wildlife and our bodies.
Oct. 9: “Fake News! Read All About It!” by Assistant Professor of Computer Science Brian Thoms, Ph.D.
The subject of “fake news” has arisen again and again before and after the 2016 election, but the concept has actually been around for centuries. Thoms will give a brief history of fake news — the deliberate publication of misinformation and hoaxes in the mainstream media. Thoms will offer tips for verifying information and sources and explore how social media has affected the “fake news” phenomenon.
Nov. 13: “Work and Labor in the 21st Century” by Assistant Professor of Sociology Elizabeth Sowers, Ph.D.
Work and labor activity underwent significant changes from the mid-1900s in most advanced capitalist countries including the U.S. with highly-unionized, stable, manufacturing jobs giving way to much less unionized, temporary or precarious employment in the service sector. This begs the questions: Are we all entitled to a basic standard of living? Should the minimum wage be raised? What role should unions play in protecting workers? Sowers will discuss changes in work and unions, with special focus on transformation in the U.S.
Dec. 11: Assistant Professor of Sociology Luis A. Sánchez, Ph.D., presents: “Living Together but Worlds Apart: Examining Ventura’s County Youth and Aging Population.”
In addition to changes in racial and ethnic composition, one of Ventura County’s most profound shifts involves age. Birth rates have dropped since 1990 while the county’s population ages 65 and older grows. This lecture will provide an in-depth portrait of Ventura County’s youth and elderly population. Sánchez will share data on the changing circumstances of these two age groups and discuss how groups at opposite ends of the age spectrum may differ significantly from each other, but their lives are intrinsically linked.
Grant R. Brimhall Library, Thousand Oaks, 1401 E. Janss Rd., Thousand Oaks
Lectures are on the following Wednesdays from 7 to 8 p.m.
Sept. 20: English Literature Lecturer Kyndra Turner, Ph.D., will discuss “Literature and Climate Change: Mary Shelley’s ‘Frankenstein,’ Richard Powers’ ‘The Echo Maker’ and Consumption and Development in the Anthropocene.”
Turner’s presentation will use classic literature to illustrate how humankind has been exploiting resources in northern places for centuries. Although they were written on two different continents, the 18th century novel “Frankenstein” and the 20th century American novel “The Echo Maker” show common themes of human consumption and development. Turner says this work is an example of what she calls “readings in the anthropocene.” The anthropocene describes an era during which human activity has been the dominant influence on climate and environment.
Oct. 18: Associate Professor of Communication Traceylee Clarke, Ph.D. presents “Environmental War and Peace: Environmental Conflict Management & Policy Development.”
Clarke will detail the unique aspects of communication when it involves conflicts over environmental policy. Clarke will use case studies from Ventura County to explain the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and how differing sides can collaborate to reach a resolution. Besides teaching environmental communication, Clarke is an environmental mediator who works with the Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Forest Service and the National Parks Service.
Nov. 15: Professor of Mathematics Jesse Elliott, Ph.D., will take the audience on a journey to infinity with “To Infinity and Beyond: Paradoxes of the Infinite.”
Elliott will introduce guests to mathematicians and philosophers through the centuries who have tried to solve the mystery of infinity including Zeno of Elea, a Greek philosopher from the fifth century B.C.; German mathematician Georg Cantor (1845-1918); British Nobel laureate Bertrand Russell (1872-1970); and Austrian mathematician/logician Kurt Godel (1906-1978).
Ojai Library, 111 E. Ojai Ave., Ojai
Lectures are select Saturdays from 1 to 2:30 p.m.
Sept. 9: Professor of Psychology Christy Teranishi Martinez, Ph.D., presents “There’s No Time Like Now: Cultivating Mindfulness to Enhance Overall Well-Being.”
Our fast-paced society of smartphones, MP3 players, navigation systems and other technology have become necessities in our lives, but overuse of technology can affect our attention spans and performance. Building on Positive Psychology research, Martinez will share strategies for cultivating mindfulness and a practice called Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR). Martinez will also teach the audience a few meditation and relaxation techniques to reduce stress and foster creativity, improve relationships and enhance overall well-being.
Oct. 21: Associate Professor of Health Science Carol Mack, Ph.D., J.D., RN, presents “New Option at the End of Life.”
Mack will discuss the history of the “death with dignity” movement and the new End of Life Option law, what safeguards it provides, and what challenges it presents. Mack will also bring the most current challenges to the End of Life Option law.
Nov. 4: Professor of English Joan Peters, Ph.D., presents “James Joyce: Rebellion and Salvation.” Peters will talk about the influence of Irish author James Joyce (1882-1941), whose modernist, avant-garde style was considered one of the most influential in literary history. He was a poor boy from a repressive theocracy who became one of the major creators of modern fiction. Peters will discuss how and why Joyce, along with Virginia Woolf, Kafka, T.S. Eliot, and others, burst open the boundaries of conventional writing to better express a new reality.
Dec. 9: Professor of Biology Nitika Parmar, Ph.D., presents “The Spiritual Basis of Life: the Link Between Body and Soul.”
Does the soul exist? Is it distinct from the body? Parmar will explore these spiritual mysteries and discuss how we maintain our sense of identity, even though our body changes throughout life. “Matter is temporary, and spirit is eternal,” Parmar said. “To understand this point is real knowledge.” Parmar will explain the features of the soul, evidence of its presence, and its association with the body.