Course Schedules

Most programs (except trips) will be available via Zoom. For classes listed as hybrid, the presenter will be in person in room 106 University Suites (map of University Suites) (pdf) and the class will also be on Zoom. For all programs listed as “Zoom with remote presenter,” LIRA members will have the option of viewing it from University Suites, and if University Suites is closed, the program will be listed as “Zoom only.” Please check your email for the weekly program announcement, and for any last-minute changes or additions.

*Denotes a LIRA member.

LIRA 2025 Fall Semester Course Descriptions

Mondays

Masterworks of American Art
Mondays 9/15 – 10/6 10 a.m. – noon (Hybrid)
Monday 10/20 1 -3 p.m. (Hybrid)

Continuing this Fall we will complete the video course "Masterpieces of American Art". Some of the highlights for the fall are works by artists from the Hudson River School. We will also be introduced to ExPat painters such as James McNeill Whistler and Mary Cassatt.

Coming into the end of the 19th Century and the beginning of the 20th Century we will learn about Thomas Eakins and the later works of Winslow Homer. Along this timeline we will be introduced to many lesser known painters of the period.

You don't need to have attended the first session to enjoy this second part of the course.

Facilitator: Bev Rudeen*

How Clean is Clean? Dispelling myths around disinfection, sanitization, and household cleaners
Monday 10/27 10:00 a.m. - Noon (Hybrid)
Presenters: Alex Symko and Tatyanna Moreland Junior

Alex Symko and Tatyanna Moreland Junior from the Toxics Use Reduction Institute (TURI) will educate you on common myths and misconceptions around sanitizers and disinfectants and what ingredients you should watch out for in common household cleaners. This will be the first part of a two part series that will be followed by a hands-on laboratory demonstration that will have you making your own Do-it-Yourself cleaners.

Coordinator:  David Troughton*

Taking the mystery out of DIY cleaners -
what does and doesn't make an effective household cleaner 
Wednesday 10/29 10 a.m. - Noon
at Toxics Use Reduction Institute (TURI) lab, Boot Mills (IPO)

Alex and Tatyanna from TURI will be leading a hands-on demonstration that will take the knowledge you gained from the first part of this presentation series and apply it to a laboratory setting. This hands-on activity will show you how to make some effective and safe DIY cleaners for your home using commonly available ingredients! You will also be given a tour of TURI's lab facilities and get a chance to meet our lab staff. Close-toed shoes and pants are required, personal protective equipment such as lab coats, safety goggles, and gloves will be supplied on site.

Coordinator: David Troughton*

Women have long been the subject of art, often depicted as nothing more than objects of desire. How do images of women change when women become the creators? This program examines the history of women in art in brief and then explores the lives, careers and works of several major women artists from the Renaissance to the twentieth century, including Artemisia Gentileschi and Mary Cassatt.

Coordinator: Marie Voltaire*

20th Century History of the KKK
Monday 9/22 1-3 p.m. (Hybrid)
Presenter: UML Professor Bob Forrant

The Ku Klux Klan reemerged across the United States in the early 20th century. Fueled by the Great Migration of Black people and high levels of Catholic and Jewish immigration from Northern Europe and Eastern Europe, the Klan grew dramatically in numbers in the Midwest. They also had strongholds in New England states, including Maine and Vermont. At its height in the 1920s, the Klan had a staggering six million members nationwide, held a well-publicized march through the streets of Washington, D.C., and was instrumental in getting Congress to pass highly restrictive immigration legislation. Led by D. C. Stephenson, judges, prosecutors, ministers, governors, senators, and future Supreme Court justices and presidents claimed membership. But at the peak of his influence, Madge Oberholtzer brought Stephenson and the Klan down. Learn about the rebirth and fall of this hate-filled organization.

Coordinator: Susan Lemire*

Brainstorming Session New LIRA class/field trip ideas
Monday 10/8 1-3 p.m. (Hybrid)

Did you ever do brainstorming at work? Well, we are going to facilitate another session.

This is a chance for anyone in LIRA to come and help think up ideas for new classes/field trips for our members. There is no such thing as a bad idea, everything will be considered! Come to University Suites or Zoom in and tell us what you want to learn about or what places you would like to visit.

Coordinator: Peter Sebelius*

Hydrology
Monday 10/27 1-3 p.m. (Hybrid)

This presentation will provide a description of the nationwide and Massachusetts statewide Streamflow Monitoring Networks operated by the U. S. Geological Survey. Information will include a brief history of the need for streamflow monitoring stations, types of equipment used, and improvements in streamflow measurement techniques, data recording and data dissemination technologies throughout the years. Various photos and data graphs will aid in demonstrating how a stream gauge operates and the wide variety of rivers and flow patterns in Massachusetts.

Because of the recent flash flooding tragedies in Texas and other southeastern US states, this presentation will also include a brief discussion on the strengths and weaknesses of flood warnings provided by the National Weather Service and various flood mitigation measures and structures in Massachusetts and other states.

Coordinator: Bob Stevens*

History of the Labor Movement in Lowell and the Merrimack Valley
Monday 11/3 10 a.m - Noon (Hybrid)
Presenter: Professor Bob Forrant

Lowell, Mass., has an incredibly rich labor and working-class history. From the Irish immigrants who helped build the city to the young women who worked in its early mills, the city has been a center of organization, walkouts, and movements for improved working conditions. By the 1850s, the “Mill City” was one of the country’s leading industrial centers. The work was arduous, consisting of 12-hour days, six days a week. The “mill girls” rebelled. In 1845, many came together to form one of the first unions of working women in the United States, the Lowell Female Labor Reform Association. They produced a newspaper, The Voice of Industry. New unions formed in the early 20th century, including those organized by the Industrial Workers of the World and the American Federation of Labor. In the 1930s, a series of sometimes violent strikes led to the organization of unions supported by the Congress of Industrial Organizations. In the aftermath of the Second World War, mills closed, and fewer workers in Lowell labored in textile mills than had in 1840. Since then, the workforce and labor unions have undergone significant changes.

Coordinator: Susan Lemire*

Richard F. Caris Mirror Lab University of Arizona (Tucson)
Monday 11/10 1-2:30 p.m. (Zoom Only)
Docent-led virtual tour

On June 23, 2025, the first images from the NSF-DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory were released. This amazing imagery shows cosmic phenomena, from distant stars and galaxies to asteroids whizzing through the Solar System, at an unprecedented scale.

One key to the immense power of the Rubin Observatory is its 8.4-meter (27-foot) telescope mirror, which gathers and focuses the light from the heavens. One of the most perfect optical surfaces ever created, this mirror was fabricated at the Richard F. Caris Mirror Lab of the University of Arizona, the only facility of its kind in the world. It uses the “spin-casting” method for making telescope mirrors, in which glass is loaded into a heat-resistant mold in an oven and spun to create the optimal mirror structure and curved shape.

LIRA will be taking a 90-minute virtual tour of the Mirror Lab to see the unparalleled technology and revolutionary processes used to make the next generation of telescopes that will explore deep into outer space.

Coordinator: Alan Friedman*

Tuesdays

The Origins of the Boston Accent
Tuesday Sept. 16 10 a.m. - noon (Hybrid)
Presenter: Antoine Trombino-Aponte

This lecture explores the historical origins and unique linguistics of the Boston accent, from its evolution starting in the colonial period to its role in forming our identity today. An analysis of historical events, literature, and media is combined to characterize the dialectical features of New England speech, and ultimately answer several critical sociolinguistic questions: What quirks and terms have remained popular while others have been forgotten? How does this distinguish us from other English speakers around the world? Come learn the science behind talking like a New Englander.

Our speaker has an academic focus on English historical linguistics including archaic language texts & translation, folk myth & culture, rhetorical & creative composition, and music & poetry.

Coordinator: Peter Sebelius*

Understanding the Mysteries of Human Behavior
Tuesdays 9/30 - 10/28 10 a.m. - Noon (Hybrid)

Have you ever wondered what makes people behave the way they do? If so, then join award winning Professor Mark Leary of Duke University in this fascinating video course. You will learn about this and more:

• Why are we happy?
• Where does personality come from?
• How can siblings be so different?
• Why do we have trouble controlling certain behaviors?
• What does our self esteem do?
• Why do we forget?

To understand human behavior is to better understand ourselves and the people around us.

Facilitator: Bob Hanlon*

Understanding The Global Economy

What makes economies grow? Why do prices rise? How does one country’s slowdown ripple through the rest of the world?

This course is designed for intellectually curious people who want to understand the real forces shaping today’s global economy—without needing a background in economics or finance.

We’ll explore the foundational principles and big-picture trends that influence how countries grow, trade, borrow, and adapt.

Topics include:

• What drives long-term economic growth in different countries
• How global trade works—and what happens when it breaks down
• What inflation really is, what causes it, and how it’s managed
• Why currencies rise and fall, and how exchange rates impact global flows
• The role of central banks and government spending in managing economies
• How aging populations, automation, and global institutions shape the future

Through clear explanations, real-world examples, and engaging discussion, you’ll come away with a deeper understanding of how the world economy works—and why it matters.

Coordinator: Doug Roeck*

Recent Projects in Astronomy
Tuesday 9/30 1-3 p.m. (Hybrid)

The presentation will describe some recent projects in astronomy. Included will be three topics that are important for furthering the understanding of the universe around us. The first topic is Transiting Exoplanet Satellite Survey (TESS).

Secondly, Osiris Rexus, the mining of an asteroid for discovery of material content (e.g. water, precious metals, organics, etc.) The third topic is on adaptive optics taking the blur out of images from ground-based telescopes. Also included in the presentation will be information on the Vera Rubin Observatory in Chile which has been in the news.

Coordinator: Bev Rudeen*

Water Challenges at Home and Abroad
Tuesday 10/28 1-3 p.m. (Hybrid)
Presenter: Betsy Reilley, Ph.D.

Join Betsy Reilley, Ph.D., for an engaging presentation exploring her firsthand experiences with water supply and water quality issues in diverse regions— from remote communities in Kenya and Nicaragua to right here in Massachusetts. Drawing on fieldwork and community projects abroad, Reilley will share photos and stories that highlight the global challenges of providing safe, reliable water.

The talk will transition to domestic water concerns, focusing on the growing complexity of water quality in the United States. Key contaminants such as lead, PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PCPPs), microplastics, cyanotoxins, and the effects of climate change will be discussed. More locally, Betsy will discuss the issue of combined sewer overflows; what they are, why they happen, and what it means to the environment. Betsy will explain the sources of these pollutants, current scientific understanding, media coverage, and what it all means for communities—especially those in Massachusetts and the Lowell area.

Coordinator: Chris Geggis*

Wednesdays

Join the Lowell Parks and Conservation Trust (LP&CT) on a tour of Pawtucket Farm Wildlife Sanctuary (PFWS), formerly known as Rollie's Farm. PFWS is acollaboration between LP&CT, Mass Audubon, and Mill City Grows.

Participants will get to walk the 22-acre former tree farm's newly built All Person’s Trail (accessible, one-mile) and see the implementation of community-based visioning and planning. Jane Calvin, LP&CT executive director will lead this walk. Come prepared for the weather, but we please save the raindate of Oct. 3 (10-12), in case of stormy weather.

Parking is very limited on site. We highly recommend carpooling.

Coordinator: Nancy Pitkin*

Two Nineteenth-Century Lowell Mill Girls in Life and Death:

Barilla Adeline Taylor (1828 – 1846) and Louisa Maria Wells (1818 – 1886) worked in Lowell’s cotton mills and are buried in Lowell Cemetery. Their gravestones – one small and one large – suggest the very different trajectories of their lives. This talk will dive into the biographies of these two “mill girls,” exploring their family trees and learning about their lives through evidence found in personal letters and legal documents. We will also learn about the history of Lowell Cemetery and the “Garden Cemetery” movement to understand attitudes towards grief and memorialization in nineteenth- century Lowell.

Coordinator: Susan Lemire*

Developing Robotic Systems to Enhance Interactions with Humans in Shared Tasks at Home.

Professor Maru Cabrera has submitted an NSF Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) proposal which includes LIRA member volunteer participation. She will detail her proposal, summarized below, in this class. Collaborative service robots are becoming increasingly popular to deploy in home environments for tasks ranging from housekeeping to healthcare.

These systems show incredible potential to have a positive impact on quality of life, particularly for users with motor disabilities or declining cognitive abilities. However, deploying these robots in human environments presents significant challenges such as safety concerns, user acceptance, and transparency in decision-making processes, particularly when any decision may impact the shared vision between collaborators towards what following actions are needed to complete the shared task. There needs to be a dynamic adjustment to multiple aspects of collaborative work between robot and human, if we aim to include a broader range of human users, such as those with motor or cognitive impairments: robots reasoning about the human’s capabilities and involvement in a given step of a task, explainability of what robot actions will be taken based on the current state of the task and the human collaborator, and selecting a degree of proactiveness towards the next set of actions needed to complete the task collaboratively.

Coordinator: Peter Sebelius*

William Faulkner

Book Discussion
Prof. Anthony Szczesiul from the UML English department will once again offer a three week book discussion for LIRA members on Oct. 8th, 15th and 22nd.  This year's book will be William Faulkner's "The Sound and the Fury," a book which is considered one of the key novels of the 20th century.  The book has been praised for its innovative narrative technique, and has been selected by the Modern Library as one of the 100 best novels of all time and is one of the Atlantic's Great American Novels of the past 100 years. 

Coordinator: Susan Lemire*

Glaciation and Deglaciation of Massachusetts Middlesex County Area and a bit beyond

Bill Vales will discuss the processes of continental and alpine glaciation. Focus of the presentation will be on the New Hampshire White Mountain area, Cape Cod and the area in between (that's us). The discussion will largely focus on what you can see from a drive or walk around the areas we cover. Pictures will be shown of all the areas we discuss.

We will discuss both the erosional and depositional structures which cover the landscapes we see everyday. In the White Mountains we will discuss the shapes of the peaks, glacial notches, erratic boulders, stoss and lee topography, glacial eskers (rivers of sand), glacial potholes, glacial marks (striations, polish, gouges and chatter marks) and other structures. As we move to Middlesex Country we will discuss glacial structures such as erratic boulders, drumlins, eskers, kames, river system, formation and soil composition. Moving to Cape Cod we will address the formation of the cape including Cape Cod Bay, terminal moraines, coastal bluffs, sand dunes and other related artifacts.

We will discuss the effects of sea level rise and fall related to glaciation, how glaciers are formed and the results of the increased weight of the ice on the land, as well as the removal of that weight when the ice melts. We will review evidence for the formation of glaciers and how understanding glaciers adds to understanding climate change.

Coordinator: Bob Stevens*

Political polling is a central feature of elections and is widely used to understand and explain public opinion. In a democracy, the views of citizens are expected to guide government activity and public policy, making public opinion a central concern in the study of democratic politics.

Coordinator: Susan Lemire*

Cyrus Dallin Art Museum in Arlington

Discover the art and life of the celebrated American sculptor, educator, and Indigenous rights advocate, Cyrus Dallin, the only museum in the country solely dedicated to sharing his legacy. It is a small house museum. Cost is $10.00 per person for the museum – and we will have a docent lead tour. Check out their website here for additional information! 

Next to the museum is a large municipal parking lot museum that uses the parking app -PayByPhone. It is $0.50 per hour – unlimited time.

611 Massachusetts Avenue, Arlington, MA 02474
We can carpool from Hanford’s Chelmsford 9:45 am

Coordinator: TBD

Thursdays

Foreign Policy Association presents Great Decisions
Thursdays 9/18 - 11/6 (except 10/2) 10 a.m. - Noon (Hybrid)

The mission of the Foreign Policy Association today, as it has been for over 100 years, is to serve as a catalyst for developing awareness, understanding, and informed opinion on U.S. foreign policy and global issues. Through its balanced, nonpartisan programs and publications, the FPA encourages citizens to participate in the foreign policy process. FPA’s Great Decisions program has flourished over the past 60 years into a multi- dimensional global studies program, adapted to multiple formats, including informal discussion groups, public lectures and formal secondary and university courses. Published annually by FPA, the Great Decisions briefing book highlights eight of the most thought-provoking foreign policy challenges facing Americans today.

Looking for Volunteers
The Great Decisions class is facilitated by us, the participants. We are looking for volunteers to facilitate two of the fall topics. If you are interested, we can provide tutoring in putting together a presentation and presenting the presentation. Our engagement can be as light or as heavy as you would like based on your needs and comfort zone. We are also offering an opportunity to “shadow” one of us as we put our presentations together.

If you have any interest or would like any follow-up information/ discussion, please contact: Neal Berenson @ 978-376-1071 or nberenson@comcast.net Steve Cerand @ 508-958-4319 or scerand@hotmail.com

Great Decisions Fall 2025 Topic

AI and American National Security: 9/18 and 9/25

The AI revolution is the leading edge of a larger high-tech revolution which promises to transform the world. Experts argue that international cooperation is needed to expand the opportunities these new technologies hold while protecting societies from their dangers. What are the key policy debates in this area, and what are the opportunities and limits on global AI rules of the road? How will the AI revolution impact American national security? What are the policy options to secure the benefits of AI and guard against tis dangers?

India: Between China, the West, and the Global South: 10/9 and 10/16
Author: Josh Busby
Great Decisions Presenter: Neal Berenson* (looking for an understudy to work with)

India is an emerging major power in world affairs, occupying a pivotal position between China, the United States, and the Global South. Its population size, economy and geographical location ensure that it will be an influential voice in debates and political struggles over global order. What are India’s choices and opportunities for regional and global leadership?

How will it maneuver between China and the United States, and what is its role as a voice of the Global South? What opportunities exist for Washington to work with India?

The war in Gaza has brought the region to a crossroads. What are the possible outcomes of the war, and how might the United States use its influence to shape a long-term settlement that leaves both Israel and the Palestinians in a better position? How might Arab states in the wider region be brought into a settlement? What are America’s interests in the Middle East and how can it advance them?

Competition, Cold War or Conflict: Navigating US-China Relations in Tense Times: 11/6
Author: Thomas J. Christensen
Great Decisions Presenter: Steve Cerand*

Washington’s relations with Beijing have reached an ominous low ebb. Both American political parties have identified China as the country’s preeminent geopolitical changer and in the eyes of many, a systemic threat. What is driving this deterioration of Sino-American relations, and what are America’s strategic options in the face of Chinese power and ambition?

Coordinators: Steve Cerand* and Neal Berenson*

The confidentiality, integrity and availability of data and services are not luxuries but, in a digital age, necessities.

Beyond basic cyber literacy as a consumer, understanding how network security works, the essentials of cryptography, principles of access control, fundamentals of information security and the intersection with physical security matters to all of us. Computing is ubiquitous, powerful and cheap, and as such it’s important to understand how it is used, the trends and how it is abused in particular and by whom.

This course will go into the following: core principles of information security such as: CIA, least privilege, least function, defense in depth, SOD, MFA, DAC, MAC, RBAC, authenticity and more; identity and access management; network security and cloud security; incident response and forensics; producing and code security, physical security, privacy, business continuity and disaster recovery; cryptographic techniques and tools; security controls, governance, compliance, risk management, security awareness and more. It will also look at how security is changing in the face of new technological disruptors, such as post quantum computing and AI agents.

The course will also include an understanding of the culture of cybersecurity, from “white hats” to “black hats”; red teams and blue teams; various “actors” on the stage and the economics of cybersecurity.

The course is based on material that is commonly needed for C2 and CISSP proficiency and on undergraduate and graduate-level courses taught by the professor.

Coordinator: Simon Curry*