Lifelong Learning at Canisius

Fall 2019 Class Listings

China and the Silk Roads

Schedule: Wednesday, 1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m., September 4, 11, 18, 25 and October 2, 9

Professor: Dr. David Devereux, Associate Professor, Department of History

Course Description

In China and the Silk Roads, we will examine the development of Asian civilizations and their relationships to other parts of Eurasia through the process of interaction broadly known as the Silk Roads. Participants will have a basic introduction to the important hallmarks and philosophies of classical China, the “idea” of Chinese civilization, the arrival and adaptation of Buddhism to fit in with Asian traditions, trade and interactions with central and western Asia and the significance of steppe culture, the development of the Silk Road land and sea routes, and finally, how these affect China and Asia today through the new Belt and Road initiative.

Professor Bio

Dr. David Devereux, Associate Professor of History, teaches a range of courses on the history of Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Historical Geography. His research interests inform his teaching, particularly in the area of decolonization and the cold war. He is a very interactive classroom professor and encourages student discussion through the use of images, media and primary source analysis. 

Dr. David Devereux
devereud@canisius.edu
716-888-2763

This course offers CTLE credit for anyone interested. Please see instructor for details.

Seminar Topics

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The Aging Brain

Schedule: Monday, 3:00 p.m. -4:30 p.m, September 16- October 28
Professor: Elizabeth Hogan, Associate Professor, Departmen of Biology

Course Description

What happens to the brain as we age? Why is it more difficult to recall names or remember where you placed the keys?  Why do patients with Alzheimer’s disease lose the ability to form new memories or retrieve old memories? Why do patients with Parkinson’s disease have deficits in movement and changes in personality? In this course, you will learn the answers to these questions and also learn:
●        about the structure of the human brain and the changes that occur during natural aging and during neurodegenerative diseases,
●        about current research aimed at developing treatments for neurodegenerative diseases,
●        about the science behind lifestyle changes that improve brain health as we age,
●        how to evaluate advertisements for products that claim to slow down brain aging.

Professor Bio
For the past 20 years, Dr. Hogan has been a professor in the Biology Department at Canisius College, where she teaches many courses in the area of neuroscience, including Neurobiology of Nervous System Disorders, Functional Neuroanatomy, Developmental Neurobiology, and Cellular Neurobiology. In her lab, she researches how the nervous system develops and regenerates.  Using microscopy, she is able to observe living neurons as they grow axons. She loves teaching neuroscience and sharing  her time-lapse movies of nerve growth in her classes.

Elizabeth Hogan
hogane@canisius.edu
716-888-2552

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Slowbalization: The World Isn't So Flat Anymore

Schedule: Wednesday, 3:00 p.m. -4:30 p.m., September 25- October 30
Professor: Coral R. Snodgrass, Professor and Director of International Business, Department of Management

Course Description

Since the end of WWII, the goal of international economic policy makers has been to essentially “flatten” the world of global trade.  A series of meetings in the late 1940’s resulted in a number of institutions specifically designed to facilitate the movement of goods, services, capital and labor among and between nations. The International Monetary Fund was established to make sure that currencies could be interchanged at a fair rate. The World Bank was established to be sure that every nation could participate. The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade was established in order to bring down the costs of crossing borders with a load of goods.  These efforts – along with the negotiation of a number of regional cooperative efforts such as the formation of the European Union and the signing of the North American Free Trade Agreement – have served to shape an environment of free trade designed to enhance the economic well-being of everyone.  

That was then.  This is now.  Brexit is threatening the stability of the European Union. The North American Free Trade Agreement is being re-written.  Tariffs – which on a global scale had fallen from pre-WWII levels of over 100% to a global average of less than 5% -- are being used to reshape global supply chains.  Globalization is now “Slowbalization”. And the impact on global trade is something we need to talk about.

Professor Bio

Dr. Coral R. Snodgrass (Ph.D, MBA - University of Pittsburgh; BA German and English - Duquesne University) currently holds the position of Professor of Management and Director of the International Business Programs at Canisius College in Buffalo, NY.   Dr. Snodgrass’ body of work consists of four major themes. She has conducted research projects on the cultural impacts on the design of management systems in Japanese, German and American businesses.  Her research on US and Canada explores the impact of increased security measures at the Canada-US border on North American trade.  She has done research into the human side of information systems. Her most recent work is on the perceptions of faculty and students of online education.
        In addition to her position at Canisius College where she teaches courses on Canada, Mexico and the European Union to students in Western New York, Dr. Snodgrass also holds an adjunct position at the Catholic University of Lille, France where she teaches European students about business in North America.  Dr. Snodgrass also has extensive publications and presentations on topics related to cross border trade and global supply chain management.

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The Vikings

Professor: Dr. Bridgette Slavin, Assistant Professor of the Practice in History, Department of Interdisciplinary Studies, Medaille College; former adjunct professor in Medieval History, Canisius College
Schedule: Wednesday, 5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m., October 9, 16, 23, 30 and November 6, 13

Course Description

“Since tonight the wind is high, the sea’s white mane a fury, I need not fear the hordes of Hell Coursing the Irish Channel.” These words, penned by a medieval Irish monk, offer a sense of the terror inspired by the Vikings from the late eighth to the eleventh centuries.  This course will explore cultural, social, and political aspects of the Viking Age. Danes, Norwegians and Swedes left their homelands not only to raid and pillage, but also to trade and settle. Students will engage with historical documents, literary texts and material culture from the Viking period to explore themes such as religion, honor culture, gender roles, commercial penetration, political expeditions and colonizing ventures.

Professor Bio

Dr. Bridgette Slavin, Assistant Professor of the Practice in History, Department of Interdisciplinary Studies, Medaille College is a former adjunct professor, Department of History, Canisius College, where she regularly taught courses on Medieval History and on material culture of the Medieval world. She received her PhD from the University of Sydney. Her primary area of research is Medieval Ireland.

Dr. Bridgette Slavin
slavib@canisius.edu
716-888-2690

Seminar Topics

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Earthquakes, Seismology, and Some Surprises

Schedule: Monday, 5:30 p.m. -7:00 p.m., October 21-November 25
Professor: Mark Castner, Director, Braun-Ruddick Seismograph Station and Adjunct Professor of Physics

Course Description

In Earthquakes, Seismology, and Some Surprises we will start by looking at some of the most famous, and infamous, earthquakes of the 21st century.  Then we will explore the geological structure of the Earth that causes earthquakes and why quakes are concentrated in certain parts of the globe.  We will take a more careful look at the San Andreas Fault in California and at quakes in the Western New York area.  Other topics include: how to improve building design and stay safe in an earthquake, how a seismograph station functions by taking a tour of our station at Canisius, how instruments and recording devices have changed over the years, and a short history of our station with ideas on where the future of seismology will lead us.  There are suggested readings to initiate and supplement the in-class discussions.  Links to high-quality seismology-related web sites will also be provided.

"Class by class topics:
        An international look at important earthquakes of the 21st century, including Assisi, Tohoku (Japan), Mexico City, and San Francisco.  We will search for earthquakes that are recommended by and important to the students.
        An overview of the general science and geology of earthquakes, why quakes happen where they do, why some regions have very large earthquakes and others only small quakes, and how the tracking of earthquakes helped discover plate tectonics.  
        A tour of the Braun-Ruddick Seismograph Station with an emphasis on how the equipment detects and records earthquakes and on how the design of the equipment has evolved over the years.
        A photographic fly-over of the San Andreas fault with accompanying maps that highlight its most dangerous regions, followed by a look at the multiple, small earthquakes that regularly but not often affect the Western New York area.  
        How building design is improving to protect us from earthquakes, what each of us needs to do to protect ourselves from the danger of earthquakes, and the real but minimal danger from earthquakes in WNY.
        The history of the seismograph station at Canisius and its involvement in the Jesuit Seismological Society, and a look at possible future developments in seismology and even earthquake prediction."

Professor Bio

Mark Castner, adjunct professor of Physics, has spent almost 30 years working in seismograph stations, including the past 12 years as Director of the Braun-Ruddick Seismograph Station at Canisius College.  Over a 45+ year career in education, he has taught a wide variety of courses in mathematics, information systems, information technology, and most recently a course on earthquakes and seismology. He has given seismology talks to numerous local organizations including the Buffalo Association of Professional Geologists and the Buffalo Geological Society, as well as many years of seismology demonstrations on Earth Science Day at Penn Dixie Fossil Park and Nature Reserve.

Mark Castner
castner@canisius.edu
716-888-2595

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