Previous Lectures

Stan Kaplowitz, Professor Emeritus of Sociology, Changing US political Alignments from 1920 to the Present

From the 1930s through the 1960s, the Democrats won a large majority of Presidential elections and had continuous control of both Houses of Congress.  Since 1960 the Republicans have controlled the White House and since the 1980s often controlled one or both Houses of Congress.  This change has been a consequence of major changes in the voting behavior of many social groups in the United States.

This talk will show how, when, and why political leanings of various groups have changed from the alignment of the 1920s to the very different pattern seen today.  The talk will examine the changing roles of religion, race, economic level, region (South vs. North) and gender in determining people’s votes

Professor Kaplowitz provided a copy of his slides here.

David Firestein,   U.S. China Relations at the Mid-Way Point of the Trump Administration: An  Assessment (watch video)

Two years into the Trump administration, what is the current state of the U.S. China relationship? The U.S.-China “trade war” dominated U.S. and global headlines in 2018, but to what degree, and in what ways is the U.S.-China relationship of today different from that of early 2017?

David Firestein is the founding Executive Director of the Public Policy Center at the University of Texas at Austin and Clinical Professor at the University of Texas Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs. Prior to joining UT, he served as a senior Vice President and Perot fellow at the East West Institute, a think tank in Washington, D.C.  A decorated career U.S. Diplomat from 1992-2010, he specializes primarily in China and U.S.-China relations

Jamie Alan, PhD, Department of Pharmaclogy and Toxicology: 

 

University Distinguished Professor Anil Jain -- Biometrics: How Do I Know Who You Are

Whether withdrawing money at an ATM or unlocking a mobile phone, we are constantly required to present credentials (card or pin) to prove we are indeed who we claim.  However, credential-based authentication can no longer be trusted and bio-metric recognition, or simply biometrics, serves as a strong replacement.  Biometrics refers to the automated recognition of a person based on their physiological or behavioral traits such as fingerprints, face, and voice.  Biometric systems can now recognize a cooperative person proving a good quality data with over 99% accuracy.  However, despite numerous successes of biometric recognition, we still face challenges….

Eric Scorsone, Home Rule, Local Control and Public Finance in Michigan: Where do we go from here?

Michigan just turned 181 years old.  For its entire history, Michigan has incorporated a system of local governments and school districts, many thousands in fact, to carry out and provide public services.  This was done because it was thought that it was more efficient to have locally elected officials who knew their communities to establish what level and quality of public services to provide. In fact, modern public finance theory echoes the importance of local control in deciding how and when to provide public services.  In the 21st century, serious questions have been asked about whether this system still serves Michigan well.  Upon reflection, many of the major public policy debates going on today are at least partially centered in issues of home rule and local control.  Everything from income inequality to environmental regulations and school performance are at least partially centered in the debate over which level of government will decide and play the key role.  We will explore these issues from many sides and see what the future of Michigan’s federalist system might be.

Professor Wolfgang Bauer, The Story Behind the MSU Solar Parking Lots

The solar arrays covering most of the parking lots on South Campus are the largest such installation in the world.  They are the most visible outcome of the Energy Transition Plan which was approved 5 years ago by the Board of Trustees. This plan promises to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions and increase the deployment of renewable power on campus. This presentation will review the progress made so far as well as the future goals.

Robert Richardson, Associate Professor, Department of Community Sustainability at Michigan State University:  Environmental Policy and the Role of Science Advisory Boards

Science advisory boards play an important role in the federal government by providing independent advice, information, and recommendations concerning the scientific basis for government actions and programs, including the scientific and technical aspects of environmental issues. These boards are typically comprised of scientists, engineers, physicians, economists, and behavioral and social scientists who are nationally and internationally recognized experts in their respective fields. The boards evaluate science and engineering research, programs and plans, laboratories, and research-management practices, and they provide advice aimed at sustaining and enhancing the quality of science conducted by federal researchers. They also provide recommendations on research strategy and long-range program planning to assist federal agencies in adhering to the highest levels of scientific rigor. However, the role of science advisory boards has eroded in the new administration, as many panels and boards have been suspended or disbanded. This erosion of the role of science advisory boards has been particularly evident in the environmental science arena, as boards have been suspended or dissolved in agencies such as the Department of Interior, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association, and the Environmental Protection Agency. The marginalization of science in the federal government raises serious concerns about public health, environmental quality, and the extent to which federal policies in this administration will be based on evidence and peer-reviewed scholarship.

Hiram E Fitzgerald, University Distinguished Professor, Department of Psychology and Associate Provost for University Outreach and Engagement at Michigan State University:  Can Five Year Olds be Alcoholics?

Nearly 1 in 4 children is exposed to alcohol abuse or dependence at some point before reaching 18 years of age, resulting in an estimated 15 to 19 million children of alcoholics (COAs).  By eighth grade, slightly more than 19 percent of children report having been drunk at least once in their lifetime.  Based on data from the Michigan Longitudinal Study, I will argue that preschool age male COAs construct a mental model or internal representation of adult use of alcohol and interpersonal relationships that substantially increases their risk for the organization of addictive and antisocial behavior.  Internal working models of alcohol use and parental behavior include contextual, motivational, normative aspects of use, interpersonal relationships, and an emerging sense of self. The presentation will focus on neurobiological, epigenetic, and experiential evidence to support these contentions within the context of an alcoholic parental rearing environment.  A conceptual model of development during infancy and early childhood will be presented to defend an answer of “yes” to the question raised in the title.

Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha, MD,  MPH, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics  in the MSU College of Human Medicine and Director, Pediatric Residency Program, Hurley Children’s Hospital, Flint, Michigan  and Professor Joshua Sapotichne, Department of Political Science:  The Flint Water Crisis: A Journey for Justice

Named one of TIME’s 100 Most Influential People in 2016, Dr. Hanna-Attisha will share her experience identifying and exposing the lead contamination in Flint, Michigan’s water supply. The alarms she sounded in Flint have rippled across the nation, challenging other communities nationwide to address similarly preventable health issues.

Professor Joshua Sapotichne teaches and researches in the area of American public policy and urban politics. He has written on the assessment of the impact of Michigan’s local financial distress policy focusing on the fiscal health of Flint, Michigan.

Dr. Charles L. Ballard, Professor, Department of Economics:  Income Inequality in the United States

Income inequality in the United States decreased dramatically between 1928 and 1944.This equalization was driven largely by policy changes affecting education, labor relations, financial regulations, and wage-setting institutions. Many of these relatively egalitarian policies were reduced or reversed in the 1970s and 1980s.  When combined with an apparent rapid increase in the demand for highly skilled labor, these policy reversals caused income equality to increase rapidly, so that inequality has now returned to about the level of a century before. Professor Ballard discussed the economics and politics of these changes.  

Dr. Matt Grossmann, Director, Institute for Public Policy and Social Research ( IPPSR)  Republican Policymaking: “What to Expect From the Trump Administration”

Democrats and Republicans think differently about politics, rely on distinct sources of information, and pursue divergent goals in government. Republican politicians usually promise to rein in government, only to face repeated rebellions from republican voters and media critics for betraying their principals.  Democratic politicians usually propose an array of different policies to match the diversity of their supporters, only to become mired in demographic divisions over issue priorities. Donald Trump ran as a newcomer to the Republican Party with different priorities, but how will he govern? Judging by his administration appointees and the congressional agenda he has outlined so far, the Trump administration may look surprisingly like prior Republican  administrations, moving domestic policy broadly to the ideological right. But his inexperience and unique foreign policy priorities may make that objective more difficult to achieve.

Ambassador Richard Boucher:    Are China and India Re-balancing World Power

Topic Abstract: In Asia writ large, from the Kuriles to Isfahan, and from the Urals to the Mariana trench, tectonic plates are moving again.  China is becoming more aggressive even as the its economy slows.  Indeed, China is pushing into Central Asia  with its "one Belt,One Road" and rivaling Russian influence across Eurasia.  India's economy is surging yet India faces questions about its role in the region. The US is moving out of the war in Afghanistan. Meanwhile, Iran is back, the US "pivot" is under question and internally many countries face increasing demands from a growing middle class.   Is this the beginning of a new order in Asia?  Will rising powers bring instability and overturn the existing order?  In Asia we see the opportunities and difficulties in a world of multiple, powerful players.  Ambassador Boucher will help analyze these changes and discuss how the US can lead in a world it doesn't control.

Ambassador Tim Carney:    U.S.Policy and the Sudans

Topic Abstract: As the U.S. Administration increases a policy focus on African development, investment and trade, the realities of poor government and an economic slow-down diffuse the spotlight. Nowhere is government so critically the issue as in the two Sudans, one relatively peaceful if not hugely prosperous, the other suffering under the ills of corruption, ethnic strife, and dubious leadership.   We will examine the Administration policy briefly and then look comprehensively at where the Sudans have come from, what they are now, and speculate on where they might be going.

The Fine Art and Meticulous Craft of Book and Manuscript Reproductions
Presented by Ruth Ann Jones, Special Collections Education and Outreach Librarian, MSU Libraries 

There's only one Kennicott Bible, one copy of the Codex Ixtlilxóchitl, and the earliest printed maps of India have barely survived the heavy use they received. But fine reproductions of these cultural treasures (and many more) have been created for researchers to study, and for everyone else to simply enjoy. In this hands-on session, we'll examine several dozen limited-edition facsimiles from Special Collections – reproductions so accurate that they include the stains and scuffs of the originals.

University Distinguished Professor James Potchen: The Aging Human Brain  

Topic Abstract:   Note that an extended abstract can be found here (pdf).  With the diminution of premature deaths and the prolongation of life the Aging Brain has received a renewed interest in the public media.   I began studying "The Aging Brain"at Washington University in 1965 where we discovered the "Shunt Spike" in Transient Ischemic Attacks (TIA) while developing radioisotope tracer techniques to measure Brain Blood Flow.  In 1967 we began to study brain blood flow and metabolism using Oxygen-15 and Carbon-11 produced by the first Medical Cyclotron.  This led to the development of Functional Brain Imaging (fMRI).  

We began Brain Aging Research at MSU in 1984 with the advent of the first MR imaging device in Michigan.   MRI provided us with an opportunity to study brain anatomy during life.   In the "The Healthy Octogenarian Study"　we sought to find "Which 80 year old will make it to 90?"   We found that tests of verbal fluency (e.g. CFL) were the best predictors of which 80 year old would live to age 90.

This lecture will discuss the aging brain from the perspective of economics, anatomy, neurotransmitters, pathology, and prospects for prevention. I will conclude with "Some Suggestions for a Healthy Aging Brain."

University Distinguished Professor Lawrence Busch, Real Myths -- False Truths:  Securing America's Future

Is our nation headed in the right direction? Clearly, most liberal and conservative observers agree that our system of governance is broken.  I argue that this is largely due to the commonly accepted myths in American society, myths that I challenge. These include the myths that:

Markets increase efficiency by eliminating bureaucracies.  However, modern markets require bureaucracies.  Indeed, the closer to a "free market," the larger the bureaucracy.

Markets reduce our dependence on government.  But modern markets depend for their very existence on government.

Competitions improve society. But competitions require large bureaucracies, lead us to work to the measure, and create a handful of winners and a large number of losers.

A good society provides a vast number of choices. Yet too many choices put a great burden on each of us, taking time and money from more valuable personal and societal purposes.

Governments needs to be smaller. Small government merely shifts governing to those who are less accountable.

Together these myths are leading us toward an uncertain future.  I shall provide concrete suggestions for what must be done to create a secure future for all of us.

Ralph Taggart,  Dinosaur CSI: "A Very Old Cold Case"

A 66-million year cold case that looks at what would have been responsible for the disappearance of the dinosaurs, who have been around for over 130 million years.　Lots of suspects and theories, but have we got it right.  Taggart contends that dinosaurs failed to adapt to the evolution of their food supply.

Andrea Morel Farsakh, THE ROOTS OF INSTABILITY IN THE MIDDLE EAST TODAY  

Andrea Morel Farsakh is a former U.S. foreign service officer who was stationed in Saudi Arabia (twice), United Arab Emirates, Egypt, and Tunisia. Ms. Farsakh  was also the lead liaison officer with the PLO Headquarters.

Maestro Timothy Muffitt, Lansing Symphony Orchestra Conductor The 21^st Century Musician

Dr. Mark Reimers, MSU Neuroscience Program EVOLUTION OF THE HUMAN BRAIN & MIND

Our human mind and consciousness has evolved from an ape mind over the past six million years. How have our brains and genes changed to bring this about? We are very similar to apes in some ways, in which scientists previously thought humans were unique, but quite different in other ways, such as our capacity for joint attention, which scientists had not realized were so important. This talk will present genetic, anatomical, and behavioral evidence bearing on the changes to the brain that supported the emergence of the human mind and its capacity for culture.

 

Carolynn (Connie) Lawler:   Hearing Loss and The Miracle Maker

Ms. Lawler presented her personal experience and her research about the man who invented the "Bionic Ear".    Nearly 25% of people 65 to 74 and 50% of those who are 75 and older have disabling hearing loss.    Ms. Lawler was first diagnosed with hearing loss at age 35.    After 14 years she was profoundly deaf.    She discussed the importance of communication, the different types of hearing loss, and the consequences when the ability to communicate is lost.    She told about the man who dedicated his life to finding a way to help people to hear.   Finally, she related her journey from hearing loss to deafness and finally to rejoin the hearing world.

Paul Satoh Two Cultures and Scientific Revolutions: A Personal Encounter

For the past 45 years, I lived in the world of science and technology. I also lived in both academia and industry. I experienced a large divide between scientific research and commercialization efforts. Though scientists might lack interest in practical applications for their research results, the business world demands commercial application of research beyond what scientists can offer. These two separate worlds exist today even though a buzz word "entrepreneurship" is popular in academia. It is important for scientists to be aware of the (commercial) value of their research, while business people should be aware of the new frontiers of science and communicate with scientists ( and engineers).  Are scientists ready to explain their research in non-scientific terms?

Professor Clifford Welsch, PhD,  Native Grassland: Our Most Endangered Land Type 

Dr. Welsch described his over fifteen years of planting and maintenance of native grasslands, including the complex dynamics of their ecosystem requirements.

Ethan Segal, PhD, Associate Professor of History Rebuilding Northeastern Japan: the Ongoing Tsunami and Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant Crises

The 2011 earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear power plant disasters claimed close to 20,000 lives and presented Japan with the greatest crises of its postwar history. Three years later, many refugees remain unable to find work, return to their homes, or restore their communities. Dr. Ethan Segal, Associate Professor of History at Michigan State University, draws upon research and site visits to northeastern Japan to explain what happened in March 2011 and why the recovery efforts are so complicated and frustratingly slow.

Patrick Dillon, PhD, Professor of Physiology The Great god:  Science, Society and Statistics

In modern society, as the influence of organized religion has declined, people increasingly turn to science for the important questions of life.  Society does not view all people as equals, viewing the intrinsic value of some people as more important than others.  In medicine, while death will come to us all, the federal government does not support research in all maladies equally.  Those conditions that are likely to result in death in the short term get lots of research funding, while those conditions that may be debilitating but not fatal, such as arthritis, get minimal funding.  In contrast, pharmaceutical companies specifically develop treatments for conditions that are chronic and widespread, as this will maximize their profit.  Orphan diseases, those that either do not have many cases or are only widespread in the third world, get minimal support from either government or non-government sources, with little possibility of change in the near future.  The great god of medicine will never be an equal opportunity god.

Hollis Turnham Michigan Policy Director for Paraprofessional Healthcare Institute (PHI) -- Help Wanted: Help Me When I'm 64

The state of Michigan needs to increase the number of direct care workers in the health field from approximately 165,000 in 2014 to 196,000 by 2020. This talk surveyed the economic and political challenges to meeting this goal.

Ronald Rosenberg Professor of Mechanical Engineering -- Developing Concepts of Sustainability

Professor Rosenberg described a course in which he and other faculty aim to develop the ability for the students to see the many issues related to population growth.

Frank Ochberg Professor of Psychiatry -- The Impact of Evil - When Victims Tolerate Tyranny

Dr Ochberg discussed this theme, drawing on his experience as the prosecution expert witness in the notorious case of Ariel Castro who held three women captive for a decade in his Cleveland home.　 Dr. Ochberg is credited with defining "The Stockholm Syndrome" and with developing, with colleagues, the diagnosis Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.　 He is Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at MSU, former Associate Director of the NIMH, and he served in the cabinet of Governor Milliken as director of the Michigan Department of Mental Health.

Megan Donahue Professor of Physics and Astronomy -- Peering Through Time With the Hubble Telescope

The Hubble Space Telescope has captured the public's attention like no other scientific mission has, with its evocative and powerful image of the cosmos.  This talk will give a tour of the scientific discoveries these images have provided over the last few years.  Professor Donahue will provide a personal version of the science of the Hubble Telescope, on topics ranging from the most distant galaxies, showing us the universe as it was a mere 400 million years after the Big Bang (over 13 billion years ago!) to dark matter, dark energy, and planets around stars other than our own.

Harry Perlstadt Professor Emeritus of Sociology --Implementing Obama Care

The presentation reviewed the Supreme Court case that challenged the Affordable Care Act's individual mandate and the public opinion following the decision. It then described the plans available under the ACA, the establishment of the health care exchanges, outreach and enrollment efforts, small business exchanges, negative side effects including keeping existing policy and the first 60 days, and Medicaid expansion.

Alfred Allan Schmid, University Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Agriculture, Food, and Resource Economics --
How I Stopped Fearing the Federal Debt and Why You Can Too

Money myths keep us from creating full employment.   A new source of money for the Treasury that avoids Congressional hold-up and going to the Chinese is available.

James Lucas,  Assistant Provost for Undergraduate Education -- Semester in a Bottle:  Freshman Seminars Abroad

An overview of MSU's freshman seminar program, which has been running for about ten years.  The program  takes 17 and 18 year old students overseas for two weeks the summer before they start at MSU.  The presentation will review the program structure, how the program has evolved over the last two decades based on assessment and evaluation data, and directions for the future.
Students who have participated described the influence of the program on their lives.

Susan Bandes -- East Lansing Modern Architecture 1940-1970

The presentation focused on the local area's modern architectural design heritage in residential, commercial, public and religious buildings.  From examples by internationally known architects to those who practiced solely in mid Michigan, the modernist style represented a forward looking approach to contemporary living.  Prompted by the State Historic Preservation Office's "Michigan Modern" project, this talk offered an appreciation of East Lansing's 1940-1970  architecture.    Susan Bandes is Professor of Art, Art History and Design at Michigan State University

Paolo Sabbatine -- Italian Viticulture

Wine is central to Italy's traditional way of life. The vine is cultivated in every region and province with a variety of intentions. In Italy, a meal without wine was virtually unthinkable. Italy produces a massive fifty-five million hectolitres each year, making it, along with France, the dominant player on the world wine stage. Italians are now drinking less than they used to, but the wine they do drink is of higher quality. The first Italian appellations (DOCs) were created in the 1960s. They were not designed to assure quality, simply to protect 'tradition', yields, varieties, viticulture, and ageing practices. Italy's two most important regions, Piedmont and Tuscany, have long produced wines with unambiguous links to precise, easily identifiable zones. This is where the quality revolution began. Now it is spreading to other parts of the country.

Professor Warren Wood  --  Fracking:  An Energy Boom or Environmental Bust?

Fracking apparently offers an inexpensive domestically produced source of natural gas.  “Fracking”, “hydraulic fracturing” or “hydrofracking” is a process of increasing fluid pressure at a point to fracture rocks. This fracturing allows fluids (gas, water, and oil) trapped in the rock to flow more easily to the well.  Most of the 60 years of historical experience with fracking has been with deep vertical wells and there has been little environmental consequence to the groundwater, exposure to increased radiation, or seismic hazards.  Within the last 15 years, however, it has become possible to drill horizontally at shallower depths (typically about a mile deep).  Thus, we have horizontal wells that have a significantly larger fracked area and that is perceived to endanger overlying fresh water aquifers, human health, buildings, and infrastructure.  The question proffered, “is it desirable to recover this energy or is the environmental risk greater than rewards?"  Note that any resource development, or non-development, is about alternative choices (economic, cultural, environmental, etc).

Warren Wood (BS, MS, and PhD, MSU) is Visiting Professor of Geosciences at Michigan State University; Adjunct Professor, King Fahd University, Saudi Arabia; Visiting Research Associate, School of Geography, University of Oxford, UK; Adjunct Professor, University of Nebraska; and Scientist Emeritus with the U. S. Geological Survey. During 40 years with the USGS, he served as:  Project Chief hydrodynamic dispersion, Assistant Chief radioactive waste, Geochemist for the High Plains artificial recharge project, and a Hydrogeologist for the Michigan District. From 1978 -1981 he was Associate Professor at Texas Tech University. For the last 30 years his research interests have been largely in the hydrogeology of arid areas.

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Professor Mordechai Kreinin  --  The Euro  Professor Kreinin, Michigan State University Distinguished Professor of Economics, is a past president of the International Trade and Finance Association, and the author of some 200 articles and books in economics, including the widely used text, International Economics.   Professor Kreinin has been a consultant to numerous national and international organizations in the public and private sector.  He is listed in Who is Who in the World, Who is Who in America and Distinguished Educators of America.

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Toward a New Normal?: Nine Tectonic Shifts in U.S. - China Relations
David J. Firestein, Vice President for the Strategic Trust-Building Initiative and Track 2 Diplomacy at the EastWest Institute
Presented  February 25, 2013.   Mr. Firestein served in the U.S. Department of State from 1992-2010 with posts in China and Moscow. He was also Deputy Executive Director of the U.S. Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy.

THE CHINA - TAIWAN RELATIONSHIP: A CONUNDRUM 
Dr. Bernard Gallin, Professor Emeritus of Anthropology
Bernard Gallin, MSU Professor Emeritus of Anthropology, specializes in China and Taiwan studies.  He has carried out  fieldwork over the last 50 years in Taiwan as well as comparative research in the PRC, the China Mainland.  He and his wife, Professor Rita S. Gallin, first lived in Taipei and then in a rural Taiwanese agricultural village for two years in the mid-to-late 1950s.  He carried out the first long-term study of Taiwanese rural life: its socioeconomic, political  and cultural life, examining its interrelationship with the larger area and society.  On numerous field trips during the last five decades, he has followed the village and area people's rural-to-urban migration to Taipei and other Taiwan cities.  During more recent years, he has also observed Taiwan's  growing economic and religious relationships with the People's Republic of China, on the Chinese Mainland.  Gallin has published and lectured on his research findings at universities in Taiwan, the People's Republic of China, Hong Kong, South Korea, Japan and Southeast Asia as well as in the U.S.

Escape From Vichy France

Alain Corcos

Alain Corcos was born in Paris but raised on the French Riviera among flowers, oranges, lemons, thyme and other herbs.  As a teenager, he suffered physically and morally under the Nazi occupation.  Escaping from France via Spain in March 1944, he joined the Free French Air Force in Casablanca. He was sent to America for further training by the Air Force.   After  the war, he returned to the French Riviera to head the family flower farm.  Wishing to improve the methods for raising carnations, he returned to the U.S., where he earned  B.S. and M.S. degrees in plant pathology and a Ph.D. in plant breeding at Michigan State University.  He held brief appointments at the University of California, Santa Barbara, the Oregon College of Education, and the Fox Institute for Cancer Research before his appointment as assistant professor at MSU in the Department of Natural Science.  He retired as full professor from the department of Botany and Plant Pathology in 1991 and has written several books since then, among them “Gregor Mendel’s Experiments with Plant Hybrids”, “The Myth of Human Races”, and “The Little Yellow Train”.

The Tempest : Shakespeare's Advice to Emeriti?

Dr. Donald Gochberg, Professor Emeritus of English Literature
Dr. Gochberg will talk on the rise of drama from its ritual origins in ancient Greece, its analogous rebirth in medieval Christianity, and the development of a professional theater by the sixteenth century with Shakespeare as its greatest playwright.  Then he will focus on _The Tempest_, often called "Shakespeare's farewell to the stage," in which the central character gives up his status and--like most emeriti--rejoins the rest of humanity.  (Feel free to bring along a copy of _The Tempest_ in hand or head, but it is definitely not necessary. No specialized knowledge is required.)

Spring Semester 2012 Lifelong Library Faculty Emeriti program

Arlene Weismantel, AD for Public Services & Steven Sowards, AD for Collections

Trending Now: Not Your Grandmother's Academic Library!

Challenge your view of musty old books and bun-wearing, shushing librarians with this peek into the future (and the present). The digital library means not only access to e-books and journals, but also creating online education, interacting with students in course management systems, providing IT support for online learning, negotiating e-textbook deals for campus, collaborating with other universities, running an Espresso Book Machine service, getting grants to digitize paper collections, providing copyright consultations and more. 

Normal Cognitive Aging versus Mild Cognitive Impairment. “Doc, am I getting Alzheimer’s”

Dr. Andrea Cathryn Bozoki

Dr. Bozoki graduated in 1993 from the State University of New York, Health Sciences Center at Brooklyn. She did an internship at Beth Israel Medical Center in Manhattan and then moved to the Midwest to pursue a residency in Neurology at the University of Michigan. She went on to do a 2 year clinical fellowship in Geriatric Neurology and then joined the Institute of Gerontology in order to obtain an additional 2 years of research training in memory disorders of aging and early Alzheimer’s disease, all at the University of Michigan. She was board-certified in 1998, and joined the faculty as an assistant professor in the Department of Neurology and Ophthalmology at Michigan State University in 2001. She was promoted to Associate Professor in 2009, and now directs COGENT- the Cognitive and Geriatric Neurology Team. She divides her time between clinical care of patients (specializing in neurologic dysfunctions of those over age 60) and research examining the effects of aging and dementia on memory networks of the brain using multimodal neuroimaging techniques.

Genomics for Dummies

C.Robin Buell. Professor of Plant Pathology

Genomics is a relatively new discipline that involves the analysis of nucleic acid sequence, structure, modification, and expression at the genome level. From the first full genome sequence of a bacterium in 1995 to the release of the human genome in 2001, genome sequencing has empowered a broad range of scientists with new knowledge about their organisms. Genome sequences are now available for thousands of species representing all the branches of the Tree of Life and the genome sequence is now seen as a starting point for biological inquiries. Genomics has provided detailed information on the full gene content/function as well as the molecular events central to the DNA sequence: transcription, translation, and epigenetic state. Genomics has impacted every field of biology in the last decade ranging from evolution to microbial ecology with applications emerging for genomics-based diagnostics and personalized medicine. Genome sequencing is not limited to sequencing a single organism; the emergence of metagenomics in which DNA or RNA is isolated from an environment (e.g., water, soil, the gut) and sequenced en masse has led to gene discovery and population diversity measurements in the environment as well as human and other mammalian biomes. In his talk, He will highlight examples of how genomics has, and will continue, to be a paradigm changing discipline

C. Robin Buell is a Professor of Plant Biology at Michigan State University. Her research program focuses on genomics, bioinformatics, and computational biology of plants and plant pathogens. During her tenure at The Institute for Genomic Research and now at Michigan State University, she has initiated or participated in numerous genomics projects including genome sequencing (4 plant species, 21 plant pathogen isolates), transcriptome sequencing (20 plant species, 5 plant pathogen isolates), and microarray-based expression profiling (5 plant species).

Books on Demand: The Espresso Book Machine at MSU Libraries

Kyle Pressley

Whether you're looking to publish your own work, print any one of millions of books in the Public Domain, or eager to see one of the most exciting technological developments in the past few years, the Espresso Book Machine (EBM) at MSU Libraries is a great tool recently added to the Main Library. Able to print and bind a library-quality paperback book in just minutes, the EBM is bringing a unique service to the MSU community. Learn the machine's basics and how to format and design your books to utilize this exciting service. 

Seating is limited, so for us to reserve your place, you must register by calling Stephanie Perentesis at 517-884-0836 or emailing me at perente1@mail.lib.msu.edu

Will Venice be Saved

Bruce Miller

Venice is said to be the most beautiful city in the world - a small city of canals, architectural wonders and extensive collections of art built on wood pilings in the middle of a lagoon.  Venice is threatened as never before:  from aqua alta (high water), decay of foundations, commercial development, high cost of living, hoards of tourists and flotillas of cruise ships.
Bruce Miller has sojourned in Venice for extended periods over eighteen years.  He will use experience and research to present a picture of the problems of Venice, and what is being done, or not done, to hold off "The Death of Venice."

Medicare Reform: JUST Rationing or just Rationing.

Leonard Fleck, Professor of Philosophy and Medical Ethics, College of Human Medicine

Health care costs in the US have increased from $26 billion in 1960 to $2.6 trillion in 2010 with projections of $4.5 trillion in 2019. A major part of the problem is that roughly half of that $2.6 trillion represents government health care costs. Medicare is the largest part of that. In 2010 Medicare costs were about $530 billion with projections to 2019 of $1 trillion. The two biggest driver of health care costs are all manor of new medical technologies and a growing elderly population. The practical implication of this is that the need for health care rationing is inescapable. How can such a rationing be made justly?

Leonard Fleck is a Professor of Philosophy and Medical Ethics in the Philosophy and Center for Ethics, College of Human Medicine. He is the author of "Just Caring: Health Care Rationing and Democratic Deliberation." In 1993 he was a member of the The White House Task Force on Health Reform for the Clinton Administration.

Online and E-Books

Terri Miller, Head of Reference Services

Educational and Citizenship Opportunities for Undocumented Youth in the DREAM Act

Professor Francisco Villarruel, Department of Human Development and Family Studies.

Under current law young people derive their immigration status solely from their parents. If their parents are undocumented they have no mechanism to obtain legal residency, even if they have lived most of their lives in the U.S. The Dream Act has been introduced in the Senate and the House, The Act would permit such persons to obtain permanent legal status and become eligible for U.S. citizens if they go to college or serve in the military. Several states have passed legislation that parallels the proposed federal legislation. Some public and private institutions have passed institutional policy to provide undocumented immigrant youth opportunities to pursue post secondary education.

This presentation will address engaging the MSU community in considering whether MSU should seek to provide educational opportunities for undocumented immigrant youth.

MSU Libraries' Comic Art Collection

Randy Scott, Special Collections Librarian

Seating is limited, so for us to reserve your place, you must register by calling Stephanie Perentesis at (517) 884-0836 or email at perente1@mail.lib.msu.edu

Pathological Altruism

Prof. Barbara Oakley.

Professor Oakley is the author of Cold Blooded Kindness: Neuroquirks of a Co-Dependent Killer, or Just Give Me a Shot at Loving You Dear. and Other Reflections on Helping that Hurts.

She is also the editor of "Pathological Altruism" (to be published this Fall.) A comprehensive treatment of the idea that when ostensibly generous "how can I help you?" behavior is taken to extremes, misapplied or stridently rhapsodized, it can become unhelpful, unproductive, and even destructive.

Higher Education and Opportunity: An American Dream for Whom?

Prof. Francisco Villarruel. Human Development and Family Studies

Precis: The presentation will focus on the Dream Act; proposed Federal Legislation which would provide for children of immigrant parents access to higher education and permit them to attain permanent legal status and eligibility for U.S. citizenship.

Michigan's Economic Future

Charles Ballard PhD

Biography: Charles Ballard has been on the Economics faculty at Michigan State University since 1983, when he received his Ph.D. from Stanford University. In 2007, he became Director of the State of the State Survey, in MSU’s Institute for Public Policy and Social Research. Also in 2007, he won the Outstanding Teacher Award in MSU’s College of Social Science. In 2011, he joined the Board of Directors of the Michigan League for Human Services. He has served as a consultant with the U.S. Departments of Agriculture, Health & Human Services, and Treasury, and with research institutes in Australia, Denmark, and Finland. His books include Michigan at the Millennium and Michigan’s Economic Future.

The Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum: A 21st- Century Museum for MSU

Michael Rush

founding director of the Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum. Rush, most recently the director of the Rose Art Museum at Brandeis University, was recommended by a search committee after an extensive international search.

Changing Health Care Benefits for MSU retirees

Brent Bowditch - Assistant Vice President for Human Resources

Abstract: In this time of rapidly changing budgets we all need to have as much information as possible.

Evolution in Action: Observing Evolutionary Processes in Real Time

Robert T. Pennock

Abstract: This talk focuses on the nature of observational evidence and on recent advances in evolutionary modeling, using both natural and digital organisms, that have allowed scientists to directly investigate the mechanisms of evolution as they operate in the present.

Precis of Dr. Pennock's bio: Robert T. Pennock is Professor at Michigan State University, where he is on the faculty of the Lyman Briggs College, the Philosophy Department, the Department of Computer Science, and the Ecology, Evolutionary Biology and Behavior graduate program. His research interests are in philosophy of biology, artificial life, and in the relationship of epistemic and ethical values in science. His book Tower of Babel: The Evidence against the New Creationism has been reviewed in over fifty publications; the New York Review of Books called it "the best book on creationism in all its guises." Dr. Pennock also does scientific research in experimental evolution and evolutionary computation, especially on the emergence of complexity and intelligent behavior. He has been named a national Distinguished Lecturer by Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Society. He was an expert witness in the historicKitzmiller v. Dover Area School Board case that ruled that Intelligent Design creationism is not science, but sectarian religion, and that teaching it is the public schools is unconstitutional. A Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, Dr. Pennock has served on the AAAS Committee on the Public Understanding of Science and Technology and the National Academies of Science Evolution, Creationism and Science authoring committee.

Reflecting On The Spartan Temporal Provincialism Paradigm: Or Why Justin Morrill Ignored the Blogosphere.

Terry Denbow

Bio info: Denbow, vice president for university relations for 17 years, was MSU's chief public relations officer from 1982-2010, from Mackey to Simon. Before coming to MSU, he was the public relations director at the University of Alabama and on the PR staff at Penn State. He reported directly to six presidents at MSU and Alabama and is the only PR person ever to work with Joe Paterno, Bear Bryant, Nick Saban, and Tom Izzo. Denbow, a Vietnam veteran who grew up in western Pennsylvania, graduated from George Washington University, where he was a three-year tennis letterman. He received his master's at Penn State. His greatest source of Spartan pride is being the husband/father of five MSU alumnae.

As usual we will have parking permits for those who park in the radiology parking lot.

Online Confidential: MSU's Online Courses and the Students Who Take Them.

Byron Brown

Bio info: Byron Brown is Professor of Economics, and Coordinator of Instructional Technology Support in the Office of Libraries, Computing, and Technology.

As usual we will have parking permits for those who park in the radiology parking lot.

No registrations required

Malaria: Historical Perspective Towards Global Elimination

Edward D. Walker, Professor, Departments of Entomology, and Microbiology and Molecular Genetics.

Summary: Malaria remains one of the most important parasitic infections of mankind, infecting and killing millions of people every year.  Ancient records from both eastern and western civilizations describe malaria in various ways, but the period of great scientific and medical discovery in the late 1800s elucidated the role of protozoan parasites in the genus Plasmodium as the pathogens and mosquitoes of the genus Anopheles as vectors.  Following these events, for which two Nobel prizes were awarded (one to Alphonse Laveran, the other to Sir Ronald Ross), the epidemiological and social context of malaria became clear, leading to active programs to control the disease, often through use of measures directed against the mosquito vectors.  This talk will review the historical context of anti-malaria programs, their successes and failures, and will examine the present day concept of regional malaria elimination through use of such appropriate technological tools as insecticide treated bed nets.

Bio: Dr. Edward D. ("Ned") Walker is a professor at Michigan State University and holds two appointments: in the Departments of Entomology, and Microbiology and Molecular Genetics.  He first worked at Michigan State University as a postdoctoral with Dr. Richard Merritt from 1986 to 1989 and joined the faculty in 1990.  His education and training include B.S. and M.S. degrees in zoology from Ohio University, Ph.D. in medical entomology from the University of Massachusetts, and postdoctoral training in vector biology at the University of Notre Dame.  His areas of scholarship and research include the study of insect vectors of disease, the ecology and epidemiology of vector borne diseases, and means to control them.  Current research involves analysis of transmission patterns of West Nile virus in the metropolitan Chicago area; development and production of larval mosquitoes in aquatic habitats, including the role of microorganisms as food sources; ecology of malaria transmission under the context of insecticide treated bed net use in western Kenya; and landscape ecology of tsetse flies in the Kenyan Rift Valley.

In Search of Nutrients

Summary: Intriguing places around the world are used as metaphors for the function, structure, etc of some key nutrients. The presentation will be a mixture of photographs (of places) and computer graphics (of nutrients). So: Sulfur and the bridge at Mostar, Bosnia; Proteins and the mosaics at the Cathedral of Monreale, Sicily; Fat and the Kariba Dam, Zimbabwe; Calcium and the Seven Sisters (cliffs), England; Riboflavin and the Giant's Causeway, Northern Ireland; Vitamin B12 and the abras, Dubai; Water and the Nileometer, Cairo, Egypt.; Pantothenic acid and Cape Aguhlas, South Africa; Carbohydrates and the Great Wall of China.

Bio: Vincent Hegarty, Founding Director and Professor Emeritus, Institute for Food Laws and Regulations at MSU. Since retirement from MSU in 2003 he has been Dean, College of Food and Agriculture, United Arab Emirates University; Scientific Consultant to Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority; Consultant to USAID (in Egypt) and to FAS/USDA (in Ghana, Ethiopia, Kenya). Professor Hegarty has taken sabbaticals in Zimbabwe, Jamaica, United Arab Emirates and Ireland and has visited over 70 countries for varying time periods.

The Economics of College Sports: Is Green and White more Profitable that Maize and Blue?

Carl Liedholm has been a Professor of Economics at Michigan State University since 1965. The recipient of over a dozen teaching awards, including the Alumni Outstanding Teaching Award from the College of Social Science and the State of Michigan Teaching Excellence Award, he developed three years ago and has been teaching, with Ronald Fisher, a new MSU course on the Social Science of Sports.

Most fans know little or nothing about the economic aspects of college sports in general and MSU in particular. Does the MSU athletics department drain resources from the rest of the University or does it generate a profit? Does the MSU football program generate more revenue than the MSU mathematics department? Do Kalin Lucas and Kirt Cousins receive compensation commensurate with their revenue generation contribution? These and other questions relating to the economics of collegiate and MSU sports will be examined in this presentation.

Global Health Diplomacy

Judith Kaufmann, retired Foreign Service Officer
Ms. Kaufmann has been Director of the Office of International Health Affairs of the U.S. Department of State where she was also focal point for the U.s. delegation to the Global fund to fight Aids , TB and Malaria. She has worked for the Jt. UN Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and the World Health Organization's Roll Back Malaria Partnership.

Judith Kaufmann is a Visiting Scholar at the Global Health and Foreign Policy Initiatives of John Hopkins University's School of Advanced International Studies and an independent consultant on global health diplomacy. Her major clients included the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, LMI Government Consulting and the Communications Initiative of Vancouver, Canada.

She participates in the working group on health an conflict at the U.S. Institute of Peace and the working group on health and security of the CSIS Commission on smart Global Health Policy.

Ms.Kaufmann is the author of "Diplomacy and the Polio Immunization Boycott in Northern Nigeria.

Download the Global Health Diplomacy flyer (.pdf)

The Human-Animal Bond: Exploring Our Relationship with Man's (and Woman's) Best Friend

Sheila J. Bryant, Health Sciences/Veterinary Medicine Librarian

The human–animal bond has been a hot topic in recent years. Sheila J. Bryant, MSU's health sciences/veterinary medicine librarian, will provide a general overview and show you how to locate resources on this engaging phenomenon, addressing both the practical and scientific sides of a very compelling subject. We will also explore the wide range of complex relationships humans have with their animals and the roles they play in each other’s lives.

Finding Health Information on the Internet

Susan Kendall, Health Sciences Coordinator & Abraham Wheeler, Health Sciences Librarian

Back by popular demand! Ever try searching the Internet for a health topic? It can be pretty confusing! This class will teach you how to tell the good from the bad. Find out what free sites have the most reliable, up-to-date, and understandable information about diseases, wellness, prevention, drugs, herbs, and lab tests. Learn how to decipher “doctor-speak” and then delve deeper into medical information using MSU’s resources for health professionals.

You may attend as many or as few sessions as you wish, BUT .. Seating is limited, so for us to reserve your place, you must register by calling Stephanie Perentesis at 517/884-0836 or emailing at perente1@mail.lib.msu.edu

Web Information Skills and Searching Savvy: The Basics

How to Spy on Your Own House: Finding Detailed Information on Land and Buildings
Kathleen Weessies

Money Smarts: Resources for Personal Finance
Breezy Silver and Laura Leavitt

Signals through Time and Space: MSU Libraries' Digital and Multimedia Center / Vincent Voice Library and Digitization

Book Doctors: How the MSU Libraries' Conservation Lab Heals Books
Eric Alstrom

The New MSU Broad Art Museum and Spartans Stay Sharp

Professor Karin Wurst

US Public Diplomacy & Global Engagement - Diplomatic Action and Public-Private Partnerships - Where Do We Go From Here?
Cari Guittard

How American Indians Changed the Atlantic World: The First Consumer Revolution
Susan Sleeper-Smith

Newspapers: Read All About It Online!

Jon Harrison, Michael Rodriguez & Mike Unsworth

Google & Wikipedia: Digging Beneath The Surface
Sara Miller & Ben Oberdick

Government Information at Your Fingertips
Hui Hua Chua & Hailey Mooney

Social Networking: Connect Online with Colleagues, Family, and Friends
Michelle Allen & Kara Rawlins

Finding Health Information on the Internet
Susan Kendall & Abe Wheeler

Libraries in the Age of Google 
Cliff Haka, MSU Director of Libraries
Peter Berg, Head of Special Collections

A Supernova in the Lab: Nuclear Research at NSCL 
Zach Constan, Outreach Coordinator for MSU's National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory

The Geology And Mineral Resources Of Michigan: A 3.5 Billion Year Odyssey 
F. W. (Bill) Cambray, Professor Emeritus

Foreign Perceptions of The U.S: Tough Questions About Public Diplomacy and Challenges For the Incoming President 
David Firestein, Deputy Executive Director and Senior Advisor in the U.S. Department of State

The Effects of Globalization on the American Economy
Dr. Carl Liedholm, Small Animal Clinical Sciences

The Bald Eagle as a Monitor of Environmental Health in the Great Lakes Basin
Dr. James Sikarskie, Small Animal Clinical Sciences

The Verdehr Trio: Making Music Around the World

Elsa Ludewig-Virdehr and Walter Verdehr

The Many Faces of Islam
Mohammed Ayoob,University Distinguished Professor of International Relations, James Madison College and Department of Political Science, Michigan State University

Michigan is Cougar Country
Dennis Fijalkowski,  Executive Director of the Michigan Wildlife Conservancy

Stem Cells: Their Potential Role in the Cause, Prevention and Treatment of Human Disease 
Jim Trosko, Professor, Department of Pediatrics/Human Development

Wind Power: Renewable Energy Option for the Future
Stephen Harsh, Professor, Agricultural Economics

Diversity and Inclusion at MSU in a post-Proposal 2 Environment: Debunking the Myths and Confronting the Challenges
Paulette Granberry Russell

Help! I'm Eating Genetically-Modified Food
Bob Hollingworth, Professor Emeritus , Department of Entomology and National Food Safety & Toxicology Center 

Future of Nuclear Physics at MSU

Michael Thoennessen, Professor and Associate Director, Department of Physics & Astronomy

The Changing Life and Times of MSU Faculty: a 40 Year Perspective
Robert F. Banks, Associate Provost and Associate Vice President for Academic Human Resources, MSU

Memory and Aging: It's Not All Downhill
Rose T. Zacks, Professor, Psychology Department, MSU

The Great Lakes Salmon Story
Howard Tanner, Chair and Professor Emeritus, Fisheries and Wildlife

Health Benefits: National and Local Perspectives
Pamela Beemer, Assistant Vice President for Human Resources

Media Body Images and Eating Disorders
Bradley Greenburg, University Distinguished Professor Emeritus in the Department of Communication and the Department of Telecommunication, Information Studies and Media 

Reading for Your Life 

Gordon Rohman, Professor Emeritus, English

Reflections on Environmental Geography Behind Human History 
H.J. DeBlij, Distinguished Professor, Geography

Saints' Rest 2005: An Exploration of MSU's First Dormitory 
Lynne Goldstein, Chair, Anthropology

Human Diversity and Change 
James Potchen, Chair, Radiology