OLLI January 2012 Speaker Series

Special thanks to the coordinator of this speaker series: Martha Horne, as well as the committee and all those who suggested and contacted speakers.

This program is free and open to the public.
No reservations are needed.

10 am -11:50 a.m.
Room 6 on the first floor of the Temple Baptist Church (3850 Nebraska Ave. NW) and in the Abramson Recital Hall at the Katzen Arts Center (Ward Circle-Nebraska and Mass. Ave.)

Park on the street or in the Katzen Arts Center lot at $2/hour. Snow days will be January 31 and February 1. If DC or Montgomery County Schools are delayed and/or canceled we will NOT be holding our lecture that day. Please check the OLLI-dc.org website.

Tuesday, Jan. 3 OLLI Volunteer Activities (Temple Baptist Church)
Ellen Siegler will host a panel of OLLI members who will talk about some of the work they do outside their OLLI lives.  The panel will include OLLI members who volunteer with Retired Scientists, Engineers and Technicians ( ReSET), in the Washington Area Public Schools, Project Reboot, the Library of Congress, and the Museum of American History. We will also hear from people who do pro bono legal work and record for the blind.  Join us and share your interests.

Wednesday, Jan. 4  MetroStage (Temple Baptist Church)
MetroStage is a professional non-profit theater company located in Alexandria, Virginia. Founded in 1984, it is dedicated to producing an eclectic season of classic and contemporary plays and musicals, by established and emerging playwrights, chosen for their social, political, literary and entertainment value. MetroStage’s artistic director, Carolyn Griffin,  and award-winning actress Natascia Diaz will talk about the stage.  

Thursday, Jan. 5  Ron Nessen  Making the News, Talking the News
(Temple Baptist Church)
Our speaker will be talking about and reading from his personal memoir of the 15 years from 1962 to 1977, when he was a correspondent for NBC News  and then White House press secretary for President Gerald Ford.  He will share stories from the civil rights movement, the Vietnam War, the investigation and resignation of Vice President Spiro Agnew.  He will also review his time in the White House, dealing with the aftermath of Watergate, Ford’s pardoning of Nixon, and the 1976 election campaign.

Tuesday, Jan. 10 Eugene Kinlow  (Katzen Arts Center)
Washington DC and the Struggle for Full Democracy
Our speaker will start with the history of the disenfranchisement of residents of the nation’s capital, highlighting the advocacy efforts that have occurred over the last 200 years, including the creation of DC Vote, an education and advocacy organization. He will discuss current and past legislation, legislative challenges, the political landscape and the prospects for change in the near future. A native Washingtonian, Eugene Kinlow is public affairs director of DC Vote.

Wednesday, Jan. 11 Abderrahim Foukara  (Katzen Arts Center)
Will Arab Revolutions Lead to Real Change?
From his unique perspective as bureau chief of Aljazeera’s Satellite Network, our speaker will discuss whether the recent uprisings are likely to bring about lasting change in the Arab world and how accurate is it to call them “revolutions.”

Thursday, Jan. 12  Art LeVan     (Katzen Arts Center)      
Chautauqua - An American Narrative
Located along beautiful Lake Chautauqua in a remote section of western New York, the Chautauqua Institution is a unique place that offers a wide range of experiences in the arts, education, religion, and recreation. Chautauqua combines a rich history and tradition with a unique summer destination experience. After a documentary on the institution, Linda Steckley, senior officer at Chautauqua, will join Art LeVan (who has been vacationing in Chautauqua for 30 years) to answer questions.

Tuesday, Jan. 17  Richard Benedetto  (Katzen Arts Center)
How the Obama White House Manages the News Media
All White House administrations are huge public relations machines, but the Obama White House is bigger and better than most. Richard Benedetto, a retired USA Today White House correspondent and now politics and journalism professor at American University, will offer an inside look at what the Obama media strategies are and whether they are working.

Wednesday, Jan. 18  Mary Bullock,  Sarel Kromer,  and Laurie Segel-Moss    (Temple Baptist Church)
Rwanda Peace Narratives (RPN) is an educational tool that uses the 1994 Rwandan genocide as an example for teaching pathways to reconciliation in the aftermath of personal and societal trauma. Developed from a 2006 OLLI study group, RPN includes the compelling personal stories of five genocide survivors, ages 8 - 14, which were shared with the Center for Peace Building International. The narratives incorporate discussions of race, ethnicity and nationality; speaking up against injustice; dealing with conflict through creative means; and becoming change agents.

Thursday, Jan. 19   Liz Georges  (Katzen Arts Center)
The Washington Art Scene
Liz Georges, membership director of Washington Project for the Arts, (WPA) will discuss the history of DC’s contemporary arts scene from the perspective of WPA, the organization that has been part of the action for over 35 years. Learn how WPA has consistently provided an alternative for artists/audiences who want something beyond marble-clad museums and statues of generals on horseback.  She will talk about what the future holds for the WPA and the DC art scene.

Tuesday, Jan. 24    Edgar F. Russell III  (Katzen Arts Center)
A Celebration of Abraham Lincoln from the Golden Age of Radio
Using selections from some of the greatest shows heard during the Golden Age of Radio, this presentation will offer a depiction of many important events and people in Lincoln’s life. Our speaker is a playwright whose work has appeared on stage and has been heard on National Public Radio.

Wednesday, Jan. 25  Fred Rothwarf  (Temple Baptist Church)
The Silent Revolution: Rare-Earth Permanent Magnets
In the past three decades radical developments have occurred in the fields of permanent magnet materials and their applications.   From computer hard drives, hi-fidelity speakers to levitated transportation systems, they have many uses.  This talk will review new developments and applications.  Frederick Rothwarf has had a long, interesting career in physics researching memory metals, superconductivity, magnetism, metal hydrides, X-ray therapy, bio acoustics and, currently, the field of cosmology.

Thursday, Jan. 26  David Applegate   (Katzen Arts Center)
Science for an Active Planet
David Applegate, associate director for natural hazards at the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) will discuss lessons from recent disasters -- as well as our very own Virginia earthquake this past August.  He will discuss how the USGS is using new science and innovative technology to support emergency responders and help communities in the U.S. increase their resilience before disaster strikes.