MINI COURSES AT ILEAD

Members of ILEAD at Dartmouth University in New Hampshire took a series of mini-courses this past winter. Following were the selections:

Adapting to Warming Global Temperatures in Cold Regions Environments
This short course featured polar research scientists and engineers from the Cold Research and Engineering Laboratory in Hanover, NH who are currently involved in projects aimed at assessing and mitigating the impacts of climate change.

Crop Circles of England: Spiritual Messages from Space Aliens, Meteorological Phenomena, or Hoax?
Crop circles appear from April through September, often in the grain fields near ancient megalithic monuments such as Stonehenge and Avebury. In the past 30 years, crop circles have become more elaborate with geometric designs including spirals and pictograms. Participants explored the history of crop circles in England and other countries, recent literature and conferences on the topic, and the possibilities of how and why they are appearing at this time.

Sherlock Holmes
What is it about the 60 Sherlock Holmes stories that gives such enjoyment and has kept them alive for over a century? Participants had fun reading and discussing a number of Holmes’ stories, posing and addressing questions they stimulated.

The First Amendment and the Media
From the John Peter Zenger trial to the Pentagon Papers case, to, more recently, the incarceration of reporter Judith Miller for refusing to disclose her sources in the Scooter Libby trail, freedom of the press has occupied a central place in America law. This course examined from an historical and contemporary perspective the meaning of “freedom of the press” and the media more generally in the American constitutional tradition.

American Women’s Social History Through Quilting
Early American quilt designs have an historic basis which reveals the social history of the women who made them. Lectures and slides illustrated their handiwork as well as the decorative use of antique fabrics. Their quilts revealed a new chapter in the history of this nation.

Malaria in Lwala, Kenya
Malaria and mosquitoes continue to torment the tropical world. The natural history, treatments and ongoing research, are all rich with drama and challenges. Participants studied the fascinating relationship of blood sucking Anopheles mosquitoes, the malaria parasite, and humans. The burden of disease in the world and strategies to conquer this killing illness were reviewed.

Re-Design Your Home for Comfort and Beauty: Peering Through Your Own Windows
Participants reviewed how comfortable or uncomfortable they are in their own homes. They also studied whether their homes reflect who they truly are. They were taught professional design techniques to free their homes from hum-drum décor and chaotic clutter. They learned how to evaluate their home’s attributes and trouble spots. Their “homework” was to develop an action plan with general guidelines and strategic moves designed to remove distractions and maximize their home’s potential.