Building partnerships through art, science in the movies and an Indian tribe's resistance to American assimilation are among topics Saturday, June 18, for the summer term of Saturday U -- the University of Wyoming's free one-day college education program.
A half-day of college classes and discussion begins with refreshments at 8:30 a.m., followed by a welcoming address at 8:45 a.m. from Paul Flesher, UW Religious Studies Program director and associate professor, at the National Museum of Wildlife Art Cook Auditorium.
Three representatives from UW will then present lectures, followed with a free lunch and a question and answer session.
In its second year, Saturday U is a collaborative program that connects popular UW professors with life-long learners in Jackson Hole. Offered three times a year, Saturday U is sponsored by the university, the UW Foundation and Wyoming Humanities Council and presented by Central Wyoming College (CWC), the National Museum of Wildlife Art and Teton County Library Foundation.
Listed are program topic descriptions and UW representatives lecturing:
9-10 a.m. -- "The Oglala Lakota (Sioux) and the Modernization of American Culture, 1848-1890," Jeff Means, history assistant professor. Following the Mexican-American War, new territories brought a plethora of new cultures into the contiguous United States and America's pot failed to "melt." America failed to eliminate these cultures and, as a result, was forced to adapt and evolve. Oglala Lakota (Sioux) resistance to assimilation has forever redefined the nation's concept of race and identity, and what it means to be an American.
10:15-11:15 a.m. -- "Public Art and Community: Building Partnerships through Art," Susan Moldenhauer, UW Art Museum director and chief curator. What is public art, why is it important and what can it do for a community? "Sculpture: A Wyoming Invitational," an exhibition organized by the UW Art Museum for locations on- and off-campus, interjected new life into communities, created new partnerships that crossed town lines and has had unanticipated impacts. Moldenhauer discusses how the program was created and implemented and lessons learned about how residents might consider public art in their communities.
11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. -- "Science in the Movies," Mike Brotherton, astronomy associate professor. Does it matter if Hollywood gets the science right in movies? Entertainment informs opinions about science and scientists, and is stealth education for better or worse. Good science is rare in the movies, but perhaps even bad science offers teachable moments. Examples of good and bad science will be demonstrated in movie clips from such films as "2001: A Space Odyssey," "Armageddon" and "Total Recall."
12:30-1:30 p.m. -- Lunch and question-and-answer session with the three UW representatives, and moderated by Flesher, will be in the Wapiti Gallery.
Participants may attend one, two or all three lectures, plus the final roundtable. The program is free and open to the public. For more details, or to register for college credit or Professional Teaching Standards Board (PTSB) credit, call Susan Thulin, CWC outreach coordinator, (307) 733-7425.
For more information about Saturday U, visit the website at https://www.uwyo.edu/SaturdayU/ or contact Teton County Library Adult Humanities Coordinator Oona Doherty at 733-2164 ext. 135 or email odoherty@tclib.org.
