Lecture Series Schedule

Admission is free. All lectures take place from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Milton Centre for the Arts on the dates noted below.

Please note: Some or all of the lectures may be filmed and televised on TVCOGECO.

Register online or phone: Milton Public Library (905) 875-2665 ext 3263.

October 10,
2012

(No) Voice Out of the Whirlwind: The Book of Job and the End of the World in Several Recent Films

by Dr. Russel Kilbourn, Department of English and Film Studies

This lecture offers a critical comparison of several films - A Serious Man (Coen Brothers, 2008), Melancholia (Lars Von Trier, 2011), Take Shelter (Jeff Nichols, 2011), and Tree of Life (Terrence Malick, 2011) - in light of the culture's ongoing tendency to privilege an auteurist approach in contemporary quasi-theological film criticism. In arguing that all of these films are united as adaptations of the Book of Job, I explore each film's meanings while saying something about cinematic adaptations of biblical texts in a secular age.

November 14,
2012

Music about Music

by Dr. Lee Willingham and the Laurier Singers

The Laurier Singers Chamber Choir, directed by Dr. Lee Willingham, is a 24-voice auditioned choir from the Faculty of Music that specializes in repertoire suitable for smaller ensembles. This lecture-demonstration focuses on "Music about Music." Just one week before St. Cecilia's Day, the patron saint of music, we will explore compositions that deal with music itself. Included will be Benjamin Britten's "Ode to St. Cecilia," as well as a romp through musical history, from the madrigal to the motet to the spiritual, presenting a wide range of styles and genres.

December 12,
2012

1812: The War and its Legacy

by Dr. Terry Copp, Department of History

The title of the lecture is taken from a new battlefield guidebook, the eighth to be published by the Laurier Military Centre. The new guidebook, 1812: The War and its Legacy, offers and introduction to a war that had profound consequences for Canadians, Americans, and the First Nations. The guide relates the history of the war to specific sites in Ontario, Quebec, and the northern United States, using Google Earth maps and contemporary photographs. The lecture will highlight some of the key events in the war and comment on the bicentennial activities.

January 9,
2013

Exile and Dreams: Navigating the Sea of Memories

by Dr. Mercedes Rowinsky-Geurts, Department of Languages and Literatures

Exile creates unrecoverable spaces that deepen with time. Dreams appear as threads that could start to weave bridges so creativity may travel the unconscious in an imaginative journey. Carl Jung explains that often, human beings do not pay attention to dreams, but such attitude could be dangerous because dreams must be interpreted correctly to understand oneself and the world around us. Cristina Peri Rossi's poetry is charged with dreams allowing her to create imaginary bridges to cross boundaries, spaces and time. The self travels in dreams uncovering the veils of what seemed forgotten. Messages remain latent in the unconscious: its emergence through dreams creates new possibilities, new opportunities. Hope.

February 13,
2013

Research Driven by Regulatory Needs: Metals and Nutrients in Aquatic Systems

by Dr. Scott Smith, Department of Chemistry

Metals and nutrients can have potential negative environmental impacts if discharged at sufficient concentrations. Environmental legislation attempts to determine allowable effluent concentrations for appropriate protection of receiving waters. Determination of these values is an ongoing challenge and research sponsored by governments, as well as industry, is moving towards improved regulatory criteria based on sound multi-disciplinary science. For this lecture, research will be presented in two parts: phosphorus removal in wastewater treatment and speciation dependence of metal toxicity.

March 13,
2013

Indigenous Peoples and Archaeology in Southern Ontario

by Dr. Gary Warrick, Department of Archaeology and Classical Studies

Prior to the 17th century, southern Ontario was home to several nations of Indigenous peoples. European settlement, war, and colonialism resulted in their displacement. A Euro-Canadian interest in southern Ontario's ancient past led to the establishment of museums and professional archaeology, but the Indigenous peoples were not consulted or included until recently. Over the last 20 years, Indigenous nations have been claiming their rights to ownership of their past and an equal say in how it is protected and interpreted. This lecture will demonstrate why archaeology is an important source of information for Indigenous peoples in their political struggle for sovereignty and land rights.

April 10,
2013

Optimization of the balance control system to avoid age-related decline

by Dr. Stephen Perry, Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education

Each year one out of three persons aged 65+ will incur an unintentional fall. Hip fractures and other acute injuries due to falls, as well as the fear of falling, loss of independence and other psychosocial consequences, constitute a major health-care problem. Direct health care costs as a result of falls are about $2.4 billion in Canada per year. This lecture will present a general discussion about the complexity of the balance control system, why and how aging changes them and then introduce some interventions (foot and footwear related - plus others) that are designed to optimize an aging balance control system.

May 8,
2013

Unraveling the Mysteries of Parkinson's disease: How Community-Based Research Impacts Our Understanding and Treatment of Degenerative Brain Disorders

by Dr. Quincy Almeida, Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education

Imagine fighting an enemy that slowly robs you of your mobility, balance, speech and even your facial expressions. It's an enemy that threatens to take away your independence and reduce your quality of life. The Sun Life Financial Movement Disorders Research & Rehabilitation Centre was established under the leadership of award-winning researcher, Dr. Almeida, in an effort to better understand how Parkinson's affects brain function, and then define novel treatment strategies. Discussion will center around recognizing the symptoms of Parkinson's, and how science can help revolutionize our understanding of disease mechanisms and development of treatment and prevention strategies.