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Mini-University Sessions: 2009

Information will be available in late August or early September

• 9:00 a.m. Mini-University Session I

“Liquid Sky”
J.C. Williamson, Associate Professor of Chemistry
Ford 102
Many pairs of liquids exhibit remarkable mixing behavior: they mix completely at some temperatures, but separate into two layers at other temperatures.  Chemistry Professor J.C. Williamsom will explain how he and his undergraduate research students have used laser light scattering to make maps of this mixing behavior.  To help illustrate how liquids scatter light, Williamsom will draw upon atmospheric examples of light scattering with which everyone is familiar: the whiteness of clouds and fog, the blueness of the sky, and solar halos.

"Antigone"
David Gutterman, Assistant Professor of Politics
Ford 122
Sophocles remarkable play Antigone has been challenging audiences for almost 2500 years with its themes of order and disobedience.  Set in the aftermath of a fratricidal civil war, Sophocles' play raises vital questions about political authority and familial obligation in a time of crisis.  In this class, Politics Professor David Gutterman will lead a discussion of Antigone, focusing on the lessons we might draw from this play for our own era of crisis and war.  Come and join the conversation about Antigone, which will also be in production by the WU Theatre department during Family Weekend.

"Who is Nietzsche's Superman?"  THIS SESSION HAS BEEN CANCELED
Randall Havas,
Eaton 211
"Nietzsche (1844 - 1900) is the most influential European thinker of the late 19th century.  His infamous "Superman" or "Overman" is often taken to be a heroic figure of supreme autonomy, beholden to no one and who, in the wake of the collapse of traditional forms of moral authority, imposes values of his own creation on an otherwise meaningless world.  A more careful reading of Nietzsche's texts, however, reveals a far more nuanced view according to which the Overman lives his life only in community with others.  Indeed, the Overman is "over" -- beyond -- man primarily in the sense that he has _overcome what Nietzsche understands to be our human, all-too-human wish evade our responsibilities to one another.  In his lecture, Havas will discuss Nietzsche's conception of the possibility of meaning in the wake of the death of God."

• 10:00 a.m. Mini-University Session II

“Shining the Light on White: White Privilege in Everyday Life”
Emily M. Drew, Assistant Professor of Sociology & American Ethnic Studies
Eaton 106
In this session, participants will critically analyze “white privilege” in contemporary U.S. society.  Through an exercise and discussion, we will consider the ways in which structured privileges afforded on the basis of skin color are everyday, unearned, and usually invisible to those who receive them.  Finally, we
will examine the central role of white privilege (and blindness to it) in creating and maintaining institutionalized racism into the 21^st century.

 

"The bendable brain: How parenting and education influence brain development"
Courtney Stevens
Ford 122
During the first years of life, a child’s brain changes rapidly as it begins to process language and printed words, regulate emotions, and respond to stress. With the advent of neuroimaging techniques, people have observed these changes in a child’s brain and examined the effects of different kinds of experience on brain development. Courtney Stevens' discussion will cut across several fields of study, including classical research in psychology and modern epigenetic research. Guided by these findings, a program of research on the effects of different types of training on children’s cognition and brain development has recently begun. We have worked with educators to see the influence of changes in classroom instruction, as well as with parents to see the influence of changes in parenting practices. In discussing this research, we will consider the promises and potential pitfalls of applying neuroscience research to public policy.

“Occupational Mobility of Mexican Migrants”Kelii Haraguchi
Eaton 211
In his lecture, Haraguchi plans to discuss occupational mobility among Mexican migrants in the US.  Though the skills of Mexican migrant cohorts have declined over time, anecdotal evidence suggests that the proportion of Mexican migrants working in occupations requiring relatively greater skill has increased.  Parents and students will have the opportunity to examine how repeated migration may play a role in this occupational shift.

"Cinefication in West Africa: Remote Villages Watch African Films."
Amadou Fofana
Ford 102
In a recent surge of associative movements initiated in Benin in 2001 and then in Mali and Niger later on, young people have been traveling to remote villages showing African films and educational documentaries in villagers where theatres are non-existent. Equipped with a minivan, a portable screen, and an electric generator, the three to four-member crews travel every evening to different villages screening films. This short documentary is an account of their activities. 

 

• 11:00 a.m. Mini-University Session III

"Intentional Communities"
Jade Aguilar
Ford 122
This class will briefly examine the history of intentional communities (communes) in the United States and look at social factors that contributed to the proliferation of communal groups during certain time periods. We will also discuss why these groups are interesting to study and what they can teach us about our society.

 "The Face and the Faces of Leonardo da Vinci"
Ricardo De Mambro Santos
Ford 102
The lecture of Professor Ricardo De Mambro Santos will analyze some of the most significant works made by Leonardo da Vinci, such as "Mona Lisa" and "The Last Supper," in the attempt to distinguish historical evidences from legends, myths and fictional overinterpretations.

"150 Years of Coevolution"
Chris Smith
Eaton 106
"November 2009 marks the 150th anniversary of the publication 'On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection,' and the beginning of a conceptual revolution in science that the eminently respectable and proper Mr. Darwin could never have envisioned. At the heart of the Darwinian revolution is the idea that order and 'extreme perfection' can arise through purely natural, undirected processes. One area in which Darwin saw this extreme perfection was also a favorite example for early advocates of Natural Theology: the adaptations of flowering plants to their pollinators. How reciprocal natural selection and adaptation – a process now termed 'coevolution' – has shaped the interaction between plants and their pollinators remains a major question in evolutionary biology; this talk reviews the history of  coevolution and describes the ongoing research of Willamette students that examines coevolution between Joshua trees and their pollinators."

"Sustainability: What it is and what it is not."  THIS SESSION HAS BEEN CANCELED
Joe Bowersox
Eaton 211
This class will look at  various definitions of sustainability and discuss claims regarding motivations and imperatives for sustainability.

 

• 1:00 p.m. Mini-University Session IV

"Willamette in Ecuador"
John Uggen
Ford 102
In this class, Professor Uggen will share his experiences with the Willamette Ecuador Post Sessions program. Parents and students will gain a deeper understanding of this fabulous opportunity and learn about the history of Ecuador as well.

"Music, the Brain, and Ecstasy"
Grant Linsell
Eaton 106
Using Robert Jourdain's book, "Music, the Brain, and Ecstasy" as a starting point, Professor Linsell will explore how humans have evolved the ability to perceive music, visual art, and other objects of beauty.The lecture will touch briefly about the physics of sound, the mechanism of hearing, the process of cognition, the building blocks of music, and the ways in which all these things can work together to move people to tears or elevate them to ecstasy.

"Symmetry"
Josh Laison
Ford 122
From mattresses to molecules, the symmetries of a thing tell people a lot about how it functions. In this talk, Professor Laison will provide an introduction to group theory, the field of mathematics which describes symmetry in the world. Attendees will learn about some of the things that have been accomplished so far, as well as some of the things that still haven't worked out.

"Take A Break:  Willamette's Service Immersion Break Experience"
Andrew Clark
Eaton 211
Now in its ninth year, Take a Break (TaB) is a student-led alternative break program that places small groups of Willamette University students, staff, and faculty in communities across America to engage in community service and experiential learning. Come learn about TaB's impact at Willamette and in communities across the country, the exciting year ahead, and how your student can get involved in this once-in-a-lifetime experience.