Throughout the year, the Montshire offers programs to adults presented by Museum educators and local experts on phenomena ranging from astronomy to geology to the nature of wildflowers and birds. If preregistration is required, you can sign up for the program by clicking the Register online link. Call us at 802-649-2200 for more information about these programs.
ILEAD and Montshire Museum
The Montshire Museum and ILEAD (Institute for Lifelong Education at Dartmouth) share a commitment to adult participation in science education. We have established a collaboration to increase the number and variety of science courses in our community. Montshire members now have access to the following ILEAD science courses—the ILEAD membership fee is waived, though the course fee still applies.
For more information about ILEAD courses, please contact ILEAD at 603-646-0154, or email ILEAD@dartmouth@edu. Visit their website at www.darthouth.edu/~ilead.
Montshire members must include their Montshire membership ID number and expiration date on the ILEAD registration form.
Download the ILEAD registration application as a .pdf file
Mushrooms - A Talking, Walking, Finding, Tasting Adventure In 8 Weeks
George Montgomery
Tuesdays 11:30 - 1:30 PM
September 21 through November 9, 2010
D.O.C. House
Mushrooms have been confounding humans since cavemen first gathered them. That mystery continues as fungi were recently awarded their own kingdom, distinct from plants and animals. While fungi can be deadly and are often shunned, they are wonderful delicacies and essential to life. They:
- Appear worldwide (even in ocean depths) and in more than 100,000 species.
- Form the largest single living entity on earth--a 2000-year-old edible fungus dominating 2200 acres in Oregon.
- Have healing properties, but may contain incurable toxins.
We will discuss the many forms of fungi, how they reproduce, and identification techniques. We will foray to find and identify choice species in the wild and learn how to cook and appreciate their incredible flavors. Join us in the classroom, the woods, the lab and the kitchen.
Note: This course should appeal to all who love discussing nature's mysteries, hiking in the woods, hunting for hidden treasures and preparing exotic recipes. Two forays will require some carpooling, moderate hikes and waivers. Those with food allergies or compromised immune systems should not eat wild mushrooms. A $30 fee will cover prepared study materials, food, wine and a year-long membership in the Montshire Mushroom Club.
GEORGE MONTGOMERY is not a professional expert on fungi, but has picked up enough knowledge in the last 10 years to pass on his enthusiasm for mushrooms in their infinite variety and hopes you too will become a "mycophile." This will be his 11th ILEAD Course, all on different subjects. Perhaps some day he will settle on a Major. You may call him with queries at 603 763-2635.
Caring For The Environment In A Warming World
Lynn Peterson
Tuesdays 12:00 - 2:00 PM
September 21 through November 2, 2010 (7 weeks)
Hanover Senior/Community Center - Room 212
Over the centuries man has plundered our planet and developed energy-consuming industries so that we now face a potential global crisis. Currently, much attention is paid to carbon emissions and global warming (e.g. the Copenhagen summit). Opinion polls indicate that only a small fraction of Americans care about the welfare of the environment per se. Could neglect of the environment actually lead to a worse outcome? How much would we gain from improving the health of the environment? In this course we will study the science and moral or political issues that underlie the ecosystem functions of forests, water, land use, and biodiversity. We will explore these issues by reading articles from leading environmental scientists (like James Hansen and Edward Wilson) and humanists (like Terry Williams and John Elder). Readings of 20 - 30 pages per week will be distributed. Format: brief lectures and much discussion.
LYNN PETERSON, MD, practiced surgery, did research and taught medical ethics at Harvard for over 40 years. Upon moving to Woodstock he has studied environmental issues, joined environmental organizations and taught courses on the environment in ILEAD and Woodstock.
It's About Time
David Bisno
Wednesdays 9:30 - 12:00 PM
September 22 through November 10, 2010 (8 weeks)
Quechee Club
We cannot see, hear, feel, smell or taste it but it's the most valuable thing we have. It is everywhere and yet while it occupies no space it is the fourth dimension. We cannot have it, hold it, put it in a container or get rid of it, yet we do everything in our power to enjoy more of it. We can spend it, save it, waste it or kill it but we can't destroy it. We have measured it with extraordinary precision but we can neither say what it is ...nor escape it.
Nothing is more fundamental to our nature than the observation of time and what we choose to do with it. While our subject for this Autumn is invisible and indescribable it is also universally compelling; we will find its study fascinating. But wait a minute. "It's About Time" will include entertaining lectures and spirited discussion. We will find the time to include the associated astronomy, philosophy, psychology, history, literature, music, biology, physics and the accomplishment of geniuses.
Understanding that time flies but waits for no man, I suggest that you read, before the class starts, two fascinating paperback biographies: Dava Sobel's Longitude and Clark Blaise's Time Lord. With that background, Fay and I look forward to meeting you for the best of times.
DAVID BISNO is a retired ophthalmologist with degrees from Harvard, Dartmouth and the Washington University School of Medicine. He has been an enthusiastic discussion leader for 17 years within lifelong learning institutes around the world. Most recently in Cambridge, England and Salzburg, Austria, David and his wife, Fay, return to ILEAD from San Francisco and Santa Barbara eager to engage, once again, Upper Valley scholars with a new, fascinating, provocative topic.
Endangered Coral Reefs
Tom Wilson
Thursdays 12:00 - 2:00 PM
September 16 through November 18, 2010 (8 weeks)
(no class October 28 & November 11)
Hanover Senior/Community Center - Room 212
The world has many amazing eco-systems. We plan to study that of the coral reef and to learn why it is a critical and threatened part of our planet. We will study the flora and fauna that make up the individual parts of the system. We will also attempt to see the important interrelationships and balances within the system.
We will spend the first hour of each class talking about reefs. What is coral? What fish and invertebrate creatures inhabit coral reefs? What strategies do these creatures use to feed themselves, to reproduce, and to survive? What are some examples of symbiosis? And what are the threats to our coral reefs and to our oceans?
In the second hour we will visit reefs around the world. This will include the Caribbean, the Bahamas, the Galapagos and other islands in the Eastern Pacific, Hawaii and Midway, Fiji, Palau, Australia, Papua New Guinea, Thailand, Indonesia, the Maldives, and the Red Sea.
There is no one assigned textbook. We will share a number of books and articles. All class members are welcome to prepare short reports and/or to tell us of their underwater experiences.
TOM WILSON has lived at Kendal here in the Upper valley for the last 9 years. Prior to that he lived in Princeton, N.J. for 40 years. He had a pediatric practice there. Tom took up scuba diving about 1970, and since then have visited coral reefs all over the world. He has taken thousands of underwater pictures and also some underwater videos. Tom has been active in ILEAD as a student, as a study leader, and as a committee member.
Energy Policy And Environmental Choices:
Rethinking Nuclear Power
Robert Hargraves
Thursdays 1:00 - 3:30 PM
September16 through November 4, 2010 (8 weeks)
Montshire Museum Of Science
Global warming continues. The world consumes oil and gas faster than it finds it. The U.S. imports oil from unstable countries. Energy costs increase. Producing ethanol from corn consumes nearly as much energy as the ethanol delivers. Sites for wind, solar, and hydro power are limited. Can nuclear power help? Are the health risks acceptable? Topics include:
1. Introduction: Energy units, uses, sources, social benefits, demand growth, conservation, developing world, periodic table, nuclear fission, nuclear power plants.
2. Fear: Chernobyl, Three Mile Island, radiation, health, safety, waste, nuclear weapons proliferation.
3. Environmental choices: Oil and gas depletion, global warming, mining, coal, oil shale, tar sands, wind, hydro, solar, corn, sugarcane, cellulosic ethanol, biodiesel, uranium availability.
4. Current Technology: Submarines and ships, operating nuclear power plants, industry structure, NRC, new reactors from GE, Westinghouse, Toshiba, Areva.
5. New Technologies: Pebble bed reactor, liquid metal reactors, thorium fuel, hydrogen production, hydrocarbon synthesis, electric cars, integral fast reactor, waste reprocessing, fuel supply for non-nuclear nations.
6. Nuclear power plant visit: Seabrook or Vermont Yankee.
ROBERT HARGRAVES, AB Dartmouth College, Ph.D. physics Brown University; taught math and computer science at Dartmouth; worked in software, consulting, medical device industries. Author of http://rethinkingnuclearpower.googlepages.com.
Birds In The Arts
Peter Stettenheim
Fridays 9:00 - 11:00 AM
September 24 through November 12, 2010 (8 weeks)
D.O.C. House
Birds are depicted or referred to in folklore, mythology, religion, literature, music, drama, and the visual arts ranging from prehistoric cave drawings to modern advertising. While bird images are sometimes simply decorative or natural history illustrations, in many cases they serve as symbols or surrogates for some element of human experience. A grasp of this meaning adds greatly to understanding and appreciating the work of art. Much of the symbolism originated long ago and has been forgotten, with the result that nowadays we do not fully understand such artwork. There is more to see than meets the eye.
This course will look at the cultural background of images of birds and examine their roles and meanings in Western art. The study leader will give a series of illustrated lectures, focusing on the more frequently encountered birds. In addition, participants will be encouraged to present reports in class on topics of their choice related to birds in art. Little reading will be required for the lectures and discussions, but participants will have to do some research for their reports.
PETER STETTENHEIM is an ornithologist, now retired, with a special interest in the feathers, functional anatomy, and evolution of birds. After earning his Ph.D., he worked at a laboratory of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, where he conducted research and co-authored a technical book on the external anatomy of birds. Subsequently, he was a scientific editor, first with an ornithological journal and then with other publications about birds. He and his family have lived in Plainfield, New Hampshire since 1969.
Trees: A Celebration
David Falkenham
David DiBenedetto
Tuesdays 2:00 - 4:00 PM
September 21 through October 5, 2010 (3 weeks)
D.O.C. House
What better way to celebrate autumn's glory than to focus on the identification, history and lore of trees? Through walks around the Dartmouth campus and classroom discussion, participants will learn how to distinguish various tree species based on branching patterns, leaf and bark characteristics and overall habit. The class will also delve into the legends and lore of trees, particularly those native to New England.
The first two sessions will be led by Grafton County forester David Falkenham and Dartmouth arborist David DiBenedetto. During the third session, participants will further explore fascinating facts about trees and have an opportunity to give reports. The required text for the course is Forever Green, The Dartmouth College Campus An Arboretum of Northern Trees, by Mollie K. Hughes.
DAVID FALKENHAM is the Forest Resource Extension Educator for UNH Cooperative Extension in Grafton County, working with individuals and groups on forest management and land conservation issues. He studied forestry and water resource management at UNH and, after graduating, he worked for 13 years for the NH Division of Forests and Lands. Previously, he served in the US Army, with tours of duty in South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Kuwait.
DAVID DIBENEDETTO has been Dartmouth College arborist for 18 years. Previously, he was a consultant in private tree care in New York and the Upper Valley. He studied forestry at Colorado Sate University and horticulture at the State University of New York.
Facing Global Warming
Barbara Duncan
Wednesdays 11:30 - 1:30 PM
October 20 through November 10, 2010 (4 weeks)
D.O.C. House
Many of us would prefer not to worry or feel guilty about our impact on the planet's climate. Our politicians have a greater case of avoidance of this issue. This course will help us understand this reluctance to take responsibility and inspire us to take action. The course is based on an anthology compiled by the Northwest Earth Institute (NWEI) of Portland, Oregon. It will be a balance of discussion of the readings and presentations by guest lecturers. The readings explore the history and science of global warming, personal values and habits as they relate to climate change, and personal actions to curb the effects of global warming. Lecturers include Dr. Alan Betts, one of Vermont's climate change experts; Dr. Doug Hardy, a high-elevation glacier researcher; Bob Walker, Director of the Sustainable Energy Resource Group (SERG) presenting town energy actions; and a Town of Hanover Public Works Department representative presenting the Town's energy saving measures.
BARBARA DUNCAN directed the Vermont Earth Institute (VEI), a statewide non-profit that encourages people to live more sustainably, from 1998-2008. Under her leadership, VEI helped to organize 500 discussion courses. VEI has advocated for reducing our individual and corporate footprints since 1994. In conjunction with her work at VEI, Barbara brought nationally known speakers to Vermont, gave teachers' workshops, and worked with the Northwest Earth Institute to expand its reach in the Northeast.
For programs that require pre-registration, call us at (802) 649-2200 or use online signup links. Fees due on receipt of registration.
