Wednesday   

What does it mean to live without reliable access to safe, affordable water? In this engaging session, ASU professors Dr. Amber Wutich and Dr. Patrick Thomson introduce the concept of water insecurity and explore how it affects households and communities around the world, including here in Arizona. Drawing on cutting-edge research and real-world case studies, they'll discuss the social, economic, and health impacts of water scarcity and examine how people adapt to uncertain supplies. You'll come away with new insight into the human dimensions of water challenges and a clearer picture of what the future of water security may look like in a changing climate.

Can certain foods improve memory? Can what you eat actually lower your risk of Alzheimer's disease? In this class, ASU Clinical Nutrition Professor and Registered Dietitian Tina Shepard shares what the latest research says about how food and lifestyle choices affect the brain and how specific nutrients impact cognitive function and overall brain health. You'll leave with practical, evidence-based dietary recommendations you can start using right away.

Join Bill Gates, Director of the ASU Mechanics of Democracy Laboratory and former Chairman of the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors, for an inside look at how one of the largest election systems in the United States really works. Designed for engaged citizens, this course will walk you through the essentials of voting in Maricopa County — from how ballots are cast and counted to who is responsible for ensuring the integrity of the process. You'll gain a clear understanding of the different voting options available, the safeguards in place to protect election security, and the real-world challenges election officials face. We will also explore what's new and different about the 2026 election cycle, helping you stay informed and confident as a voter. Expect a practical, nonpartisan discussion with plenty of time for questions and conversation.

Dr. Clark Gibson will be giving a course on the history of the saxophone dating from the invention of the saxophone in the mid 1800s through the mid 1900s. The course will focus primarily on the development of the saxophone through the lens of jazz history as we discuss many of the pioneers of jazz saxophone such as Rudy Wiedoft, Sidney Bechet, Lester Young, Charlie Parker, John Coltrane and more

In this two-session course, we'll explore the tools and techniques of two closely related, deeply expressive genres: micro-memoir and prose poetry. In the first session, we'll read and discuss representative works in each genre. In the second session, you'll share your own original writing, in one or both genres, in a supportive, collegial setting. No prior writing experience required.

The impact of artificial intelligence is accelerating faster than most people realize. Tools like ChatGPT and DeepSeek have already changed how we work, communicate, and make decisions, and experts believe we may be just steps away from "artificial general intelligence" (AGI), an AI so advanced it could evolve and think far beyond human capability. But AI is just one piece of a much larger transformation reshaping our governments, social systems, and personal beliefs. What once seemed like science fiction is rapidly becoming reality. Join us to examine these startling changes and explore practical ways to adapt and thrive.

Robots and artificial intelligence are rapidly transforming how we work — reshaping the workplace, redefining job roles, and determining which careers remain secure. Author Harvey Hess, with 40 years of experience in the consumer product distribution industry, will explore the technologies driving these changes and what they mean for today's workforce. You'll get an overview of current and emerging AI tools and automation trends, learn where the greatest impacts are already being felt, and gain practical guidance for recognizing both the vulnerabilities and the opportunities ahead.

Since the 1890s, American composers have wrestled with a fascinating question: what does American music actually sound like? We'll explore how classical musicians, alongside Broadway and Hollywood composers, many of them Jewish, followed parallel paths in creating sounds that evoke the landscapes and people of this nation. Aaron Copland, George Gershwin, William Grant Still, Florence Price, Alex North, Elmer Bernstein, and others take center stage in this multimedia lecture, enriched with audiovisuals and stories.

In February 1947, Ellsworth Brown sparked a massive political firestorm by attempting to exchange 27,000 acres in northwestern Arizona for public land adjoining his north Scottsdale ranch. The resulting two-year conflict embroiled U.S. Senators, Congressmen, federal directors, and prominent businessmen. This battle provides a fascinating window into behind the scenes land politics, ultimately embarrassing the Bureau of Land Management but saving the land that became the McDowell Sonoran Preserve. An accompanying field study at Brown’s Ranch Trailhead is scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 21, at 9:00 a.m., featuring a gentle, threehour, 3.3-mile walk.

Arizona has changed more rapidly and more dramatically than almost any other state in the nation. Political shifts over the past 114 years, driven by social and economic forces, brought the Progressive movement of the early 20th century, the explosive growth of urban centers and the state's role as a pivotal political battleground today. We'll trace the most significant turning points in Arizona's history and explore what residents can expect as the 21st century continues to unfold.

For most of human history, people lived under star-filled skies. Today, artificial lighting has dramatically changed the nighttime environment, washing out the stars for millions and affecting wildlife, energy use, sleep, and human health. Hosted by the International Dark Sky Discovery Center, this class introduces the growing dark sky movement and explores why communities are working to preserve natural darkness at night. Participants will learn how light pollution impacts people and wildlife, along with simple strategies for improving nighttime lighting at home and in their communities. After the presentation, attendees will take a guided nighttime walk through Fountain Hills to observe effective lighting practices, followed by stargazing and telescope viewing with the Center’s 27.5-inch telescope.

In this combined lecture and studio experience, Legacy Instructor Allen Reamer guides you through Georgia O’Keeffe’s life year by year, exploring how her distinctive style developed: when, where, and why it changed. You’ll gain insight into the influences that shaped her work, including periods of illness and the key individuals who supported her career. Beyond learning about her art, you’ll create your own original works inspired by O’Keeffe’s techniques and compositions, without copying her paintings. Working with large-scale forms and expressive design, you’ll explore a variety of media and complete one or two pieces each session. Please bring your materials from the supply list to the first class. For questions regarding the class, contact areamerart@mindspring.com.

Join Dr. Hilde Hoogenboom to discover the full extent of Catherine II's life and her remarkably intense afterlife in history, plays, movies, and television. Catherine herself carefully cultivated her legacy as an enlightened ruler: legislator, administrator, and imperial visionary. In the 19th century, her memoirs became a state secret because they implied that her heir, Paul I, was illegitimate and thus the Romanov dynasty, in the strictest sense, ended with her husband, Peter III. We'll examine why Catherine the Great and her 36-year reign continue to captivate scholars and the public alike.

On Mar. 25, 1886, Geronimo said to General George Crook: "Once I moved about like the wind. Now I surrender to you and that is all." This course traces the full arc of Apache history — from their crossing of the Bering Strait some 15,000 years ago and migration through Texas and New Mexico to their eventual home in Arizona. Drawing from military records, diaries, leading scholars, and Geronimo's own 1906 autobiography, we'll examine not only the major military events and leaders, but also Apache spiritual beliefs, ceremonies, and folkways. A rich, human story spanning millennia.

Thinking of a summer adventure unlike any other? Dr. Nick Godfrey, Director of the Summer Program at Girton College, University of Cambridge, will present an overview of the Aug. 2027 program. Several OLLI at ASU members who attended this year's program will be on hand to share their personal experiences firsthand. Discover why staying at Girton is so much more than "summer school". It's a genuine bucket-list journey. Light refreshments served!

Join award-winning Valley chef Sasha for our fifth Everybody Eats event — and this season, we're heading to the ASU Chandler Innovation Center! Fall is the perfect season to slow down, connect, and savor. This experience explores how preparing and sharing food can create space for rest, healing, meaningful fellowship, and a true sense of belonging. Arrive early to explore the Chandler Innovation Center's Fabrication Shop and craft your own custom leather keychain before enjoying another delicious cooking demonstration.

Design, bind, and personalize your very own sketchbook in this hands-on makerspace workshop at the Arizona Science Center. Learn the basics of bookbinding and cover design as you craft a one-of-a-kind space for your ideas, doodles, or journaling. All materials and tools are provided, just bring your creativity!

What happened when German prisoners of war were held in the Arizona desert? Local historian Steve Hoza presents a fascinating look at a lesser-known chapter of WWII history in the American Southwest. Drawing from decades of research and hundreds of interviews with former prisoners, guards, and camp personnel, Hoza illuminates daily camp life, the use of POWs as farm laborers, and the infamous "Great Papago Escape." Throughout his talk, he shares rare camp artifacts, personal photos, drawings, and maps gathered directly from his interviewees.

Join Midori Hall, community educator, and her husband Jim for a moving and deeply personal exploration of Arizona's two Japanese American incarceration camps, Gila River and Poston, during World War II. Born at the Gila River camp in Aug. 1942, Midori shares her family's lived experiences, childhood memories, and the historical research that later confirmed many of those recollections. The presentation examines the profound cultural meanings of the Japanese concepts "Shigata-nai," "Nozomi," and "Gaman" and how these ideas helped families endure extraordinary hardship with resilience, hope, and dignity. Through stories of unexpected kindness, perseverance, and healing, Midori and Jim reflect on their return to Arizona in 1986 and their ongoing commitment to preserving this vital history.

"Just take it easy". It's advice many of us have heard after an injury or bout of pain. But as we age, that guidance can often do more harm than good. This class explores how the body's capacity to heal changes over time and why pain or injuries may persist despite rest, stretching, or conventional treatments. We'll examine the critical roles that strength, movement patterns, and overall physical capacity play in recovery, and factors that are frequently underestimated or overlooked. Rather than chasing temporary relief, this class focuses on what truly helps the body regain resilience, restore function, and move with greater confidence. You'll leave with a clearer, more proactive understanding of how to maintain your activity, mobility, and independence.

Arizona settlers celebrated the Walnut Grove Dam as a symbol of progress, proof that human ambition could tame the wilderness and transform Arizona's rugged frontier into prosperous farmland and mining country. Those ambitions came to a tragic end in February 1890, when the dam failed, unleashing millions of gallons of water down the Hassayampa River and claiming as many as 150 lives. In this presentation, Dr. Eduardo Pagán, former co-host of History Detectives (PBS), Bob Stump Endowed Professor of History, and Associate Dean of Barrett, The Honors College, explores the engineering ambitions behind the dam, the catastrophic collapse, and what the disaster reveals about Arizona's territorial development.

Cold cases are among the most challenging investigations in law enforcement, and the ones involving missing or unidentified persons carry a particular weight. In this compelling presentation, retired detective Stuart Somershoe of the Missing and Unidentified Persons Unit examines the investigative strategies used to pursue answers in cases that have gone unsolved for years, or even decades. Through real case studies, you'll explore the key differences between missing-person and unidentified-person investigations, the obstacles detectives face, and the critical roles of forensic science, DNA technology, and interagency collaboration. The class also puts a human face on cold-case work, honoring the families still seeking answers and the investigators who never stop looking.

Late in the evening of Feb. 3, 1959, in a snowy Iowa cornfield, the trajectory of rock and roll changed forever. Following a legendary performance at the Surf Ballroom, a small plane carrying three of those rising stars, Buddy Holly & the Crickets, Ritchie Valens, The Big Bopper, and Dion and the Belmonts, went down shortly after takeoff. Join us as we revisit the lives of these iconic musicians, the night that became known as "The Day the Music Died," and the enduring legacy of Don McLean's masterpiece, "American Pie."

Is a calorie from a cookie really the same as a calorie from a piece of chicken? This class digs into the science behind macronutrients, carbohydrates, fats, and proteins, and how they affect weight management and fat loss differently. We'll explore what calories actually are, how the body expends energy, what energy balance means in practice, and how to determine your own macronutrient needs. You'll come away with a clearer, more practical understanding of how food choices, not just calorie counts, shape your body composition and long-term health.