Mornings with the Professors: Fall 2023
Welcome to Mornings with the Professors, a Lifelong Learning program offered by SUNY Brockport. Mornings with the Professors offers lectures on Tuesday mornings during the semester. Lectures are available on campus throughout the academic school year. Browse the Fall 2023 lecture schedule listed below. Registration for Fall 2023 opens on August 14.
We believe that continued learning and education are important, and we are grateful to be able to provide this Lifelong Learning opportunity to our community. Thank you for learning with us!
Register for Mornings with the Professors
Important Information to Know:
- Virtual (Zoom) sessions will not be offered this fall.
- Please register at least one week in advance of the session you wish to attend, to ensure event information can be sent to you in a timely manner, and catering arrangements can be made.
- All guests must sign in upon arrival; please arrive no earlier than 9 am.
Fall 2023 Lecture Schedule
All lectures begin at 9:30 am, and go until 11am.
September 7, 2023 Riverie Boat Tour
Join us for a leisurely 90-minute tour of the Erie Canal on the Riverie Boat. Learn more about the Riverie Boat conducted by Corn Hill Navigation.
September 12, 2023 The European Union and Ukraine: Prospects for Accession with Steve Jurek, Associate Professor & Chair, Political Science and International Studies Department
Since Russia’s war against Ukraine, motive for countries to join the European Union increased by another dimension- security. The political and economic carrots remain for those seeking membership, but the security component is a new development. Likewise, the changing predisposition for the European Union to enlarge reflects its evolving geopolitical role away from passivity. In June 2022, the EU officially accepted Ukraine’s application for accession and designated them as a candidate country for membership. Why did this happen and what does this mean for the EU, and Ukraine?
September 19, 2023 A Deeper Dive into Fish Thiamine Deficiency with Jacques Rinchard, Professor & Chair, Environmental Science and Ecology
Thiamine deficiency is a disorder resulting from the inability to acquire or retain thiamin (vitamin B1) and has been documented in wildlife such as fish, reptiles, and birds both in North America and in Europe. During this presentation, I will review the symptoms, causes and consequences of thiamin deficiency in fishes and identify potential solutions. I will also document incidences of thiamin deficiency and monitoring currently underway in the Great Lakes region and California.
September 26, 2023 No Session
October 3, 2023 Weight Gain: Genetics or Environment with Dr. Eileen Daniel, Senior Vice Provost, Professor, Department of Public Health and Health Education
Most of us know someone who can eat whatever else they want and still not gain weight. At the opposite end are people who seem to gain weight no matter how little they eat. Why? What are the causes of weight gain? What allows one person to remain thin without much effort while others struggle to avoid gaining weight or regaining pounds previously lost? On a basic level, a person’s weight depends on the number of calories consumed, how many of those calories are stored as fat, and how many are used for energy. But each of these factors is influenced by a combination of genes and environment. Both can affect physiology (such as how fast a person burns calories) as well as behavior (the types of foods chosen). The interplay between all these factors begins at the moment of conception and continues throughout life.
October 10, 2023 Camp Abilities: Loss of Sight, Not Vision with Virginia Orzel, Professor, Journalism, Broadcasting & Public Relations
Let’s commemorate 25 years of Camp Abilities, a one-week educational sports camp for children and teens who are blind, visually impaired, and deafblind. A camp which started here at Brockport by Professor, Lauren Leiberman. We’ll watch a Silver Telly winner educational film that shows how people with visual and hearing impairments are still able to play sports and be active.
October 17, 2023 Vote by Mail: Convenient or Costly? with Susan Orr, Professor, Political Science and International Studies
In the extraordinary circumstances of a global pandemic, close to half of the ballots in the 2020 presidential election were cast “at home” as almost all states extended “vote by mail” options. The move to “conveniently” cast ballots away from the polling station was underway before the pandemic, indeed Oregon became the first state to vote exclusively by mail as early as 2000. Currently, eight states have become exclusively vote by mail, and 27 offer no excuse absentee ballots ( 5 of which permit voters to register as permanent absentee). In the 2022 midterms about a third of voters opted for a mail-in ballot, in comparison to a quarter in 2018. Is this move out of the polling station a positive one for US democracy? That is the question we will take up in this session.
October 24, 2023 And in My Spare Time, I Write with Heidi Macpherson, SUNY Brockport President
In this session, I’ll share with you why I write, some of my own writing, and some of the processes I follow when I write creatively. I will also offer you some prompts to get you started on writing of your own. Please bring paper, a writing instrument, a sense of humor and willingness to have fun.