From bird watching to spaceflight, we have it all
at the KU Osher Lifelong Learning Institute!

On October 10, 2008, Osher members went on a chartered bus to view Topeka’s special murals, inside and outside, with noted artist Louis Copt. The trip featured the "The Great Wall of Topeka: Tribute to Grant Cushinberry," a project by David Loewenstein, and "Aspects of Negro Life," the Aaron Douglas Celebration Mural. We had a wonderful lunch at the Topeka Public Library’s Millennium Cafe, and we viewed Stan Herd’s mural at the library before proceeding to the Westar Energy headquarters to see the Anthony Benon Gude mural there. Finally, we went to the Kansas State Capitol to view the unique rotunda murals. It was a fun and artistic day for Osher Institute members. How can you participate in tours like this? Visit us online at www.Osher.KU.edu.

Plans have changed for "The Essentials of Life: Chocolate & Art"— charter bus trip to Kansas City, scheduled for April 17. The installation art exhibit of Rafael Lozano-Hemmer described in the catalog is no longer scheduled at the Kemper Museum. Instead, we’ll be treated to a guest speaker and a guided tour of the permanent collection. Remember that lunch at Andre's tea room is included in the $40 fee. When registering, please check out our Special Event Membership Only registration for friends who don’t want to enroll in courses but would like to accompany you on this unique tour. To find out more, visit this link.

A behind-the-scenes look at the past, present and future of NASA, from Cold War rivalries that sparked a space race to future international partnerships. The instructor, Eileen Hawley, was the "voice of Mission Control" and communications director at NASA’s Johnson Space Center for 15 years. She is a lecturer in the KU School of Journalism. Read more here.

Becoming familiar with local birds involves more than just looking through binoculars. In this beginner’s class, participants will learn about bird behavior, habitat associations and vocalizations, as well as field marks. Each session will include a classroom presentation and discussion plus a 45-minute outdoor session to look and listen for birds and identify their habitats. The instructor, Jennifer Delisle, is an avid bird watcher and member of the Kansas Ornithological Society and the Jayhawk Audubon Society. She holds a master’s degree in wildlife ecology from the University of Nebraska in Lincoln where she studied grassland birds. She currently works for the Kansas Biological Survey. To find out more, visit this link.

In December 1859, Abraham Lincoln delivered his first speech in Kansas. This course addresses Lincoln’s visit to Kansas, the political and social climates surrounding him during his campaign and presidency, and features a tour of the "Lincoln in Kansas" exhibit at the Kansas History Museum in Topeka. How did John Brown’s raid on Harper’s Ferry affect Lincoln and the Republican Party? How did Lincoln face various challenges during his campaign and presidency? These are just two of the questions this course will attempt to answer. The instructors are Carol Dark Ayres, author of Lincoln and Kansas, Partnership for Freedom (2001); Jonathan Earle, Ph.D., KU assistant professor of history and director of programming for the Dole Institute of Politics; Jennifer Weber, Ph.D., KU assistant professor of history and author of Copperheads: The Rise and Fall of Lincoln’s Opponents in the North. Read more here.