IN PERSON: Symposia returns with in-person presentations by people in our community who are making a positive impact. Each week, a different speaker will offer you valuable new insights into an important subject that may not have caught your attention otherwise. The opportunity to pose questions to these experts is a key feature of Symposia. | Lecture + Q&A.
Max enrollment: 200.
Location: Croasdaile Fassett Auditorium, 2600 Croasdaile Farm Parkway, Durham NC 27705
Guest Speakers:
Jan 27. BREACHED! A Guide to Protecting Your Information and Defending Against Identity Theft. Doug Dickerson, MBA, MA, CFP. This presentation will cover the scope of security breaches into personal information, their consequences, and how to protect and defend yourself. Dickerson shares insights gleaned from government sources and financial firms, federal investigative agencies, and law enforcement agencies. He will discuss specific strategies obtained from technology experts for protecting your valuable information.
Feb 3. Are We Alone? Thoughts on the Fermi Paradox. Brand Fortner, PhD. Does the Cosmos teem with intelligence, or are we alone? This existential issue eats at our soul. Fortner, a Teaching Professor of Physics at NCSU, will use the Fermi Paradox, the Drake equation, the Rare Earth hypothesis, the Weak Anthropic principle, the Doomsday calculation, and the Great Filter to provide potential answers to this intriguing question.
Feb 10. Helping Older Men Find Romance After Loss. Marc Silling, PhD. Widowed men sometimes want to find a romantic partner, yet lack the confidence and skills. Silling is a retired psychologist whose interest in this subject started when his wife died in 2013 and he successfully navigated the dating landscape. He has counseled a number of men as a volunteer, guiding them to online dating and improved social skills. He is assisted by his wife Susan Hayman, a retired counselor and “dress consultant”. He has shared in the joy these men found when they returned to having a romantic partner. Complicating issues around grief will be discussed.
Feb 17. Financial Literacy: The Roadmap to Reaching One's Financial Goals. Nick Faulkner, CFP. Financial literacy is essential for achieving financial well-being and avoiding pitfalls like incurring bad debt, fraud, trying to time the market, or being the victim of costly investment products sold by financial professionals. A new program for students at UNC, Carolina Financial Well-Being Center, works to enhance financial literacy at a formative stage. Faulkner, who volunteers at the Center, will discuss resources for those of all ages to improve their financial literacy in order to best achieve their financial goals and avoid common pitfalls he’s witnessed during his career as a Financial Planner.
Feb 24. The Last Ice Age in America. Ron Monti. A mere 20,000 years ago, the Wisconsin Glaciation covered most of our continent. It was as massive as today’s Antarctic ice sheet. It caused ocean levels to fall and created a land bridge to Siberia, over which the first humans traveled to the Americas. As the ice advanced and receded, it formed the Great Lakes, Long Island, Cape Cod and many other major geographical features. Yet just a short distance from the southern edge of the ice, megafauna such as mastodons and saber tooth tigers flourished. Monti will provide an overview of that amazing period of North America's geologic history.
Mar 3. Fraud: An American History from Barnum to Madoff. Edward Balleisen, PhD. The United States has always proved an inviting home for boosters, sharp dealers, and outright swindlers. Worship of entrepreneurial freedom has complicated the task of distinguishing aggressive salesmanship from unacceptable deceit, especially on the frontiers of innovation. At the same time, competitive pressures have often nudged respectable firms to embrace deception. As a result, fraud has been a key feature of American business since its beginnings. Balleisen offers a comprehensive history of fraud in America, from the early 19th century to the subprime mortgage crisis of 2007-10.
Mar 10. Jazz: A Listener's Guide from Sharp 9 Gallery. Dave Finucane. Ever wonder how improvisations work? How does the band know when to come back in for the melody after a drum solo? What's the difference between jazz & blues? How can jazz players who have never played together before perform and make it work? These and other audience questions will be clarified by Finucane, who will also talk about the Durham Jazz Workshop/Sharp 9 Gallery, an educational & performance venue since 2013.
Mar 17. The Future of RDU Airport: The 2040 Vision Plan. Bill Sandifer. Raleigh-Durham International Airport serves central and eastern North Carolina and southern Virginia with passenger service to 80 destinations, including 15 international destinations in 11 countries, and nearly 600 daily aircraft operations, including general aviation and package services. Thus, RDU is vital to the businesses, governmental agencies, and universities of the region, as well as its residents. Planning for its future is a key responsibility of Sandifer, the Executive Vice President and Chief Development Officer at the RDU Airport Authority. He will describe RDU's Vision 2040 plan, which includes facility planning, design, construction, and environmental sustainability initiatives.
Mar 24. The Latest Updates on Type 2 Diabetes. Diana McNeill, MD Diabetes mellitus type 2 is a condition with elevated blood glucose levels that afflicts a growing segment of the US population. Its emergence as a major health hazard parallels the rise in obesity associated with suboptimal diet and physical activity. Type 2 diabetes can lead to many serious complications, especially those from blood vessel damage leading to heart disease, stroke, and kidney damage. McNeill, a Duke endocrinologist, will discuss the benefits of timely recognition of its earliest signs and describe new modalities of treatment, including the GLP-1 agonists that simultaneously improve metabolic function and correct the underlying problem of excess fat storage.
Mar 31. Blood of the Nation: The American Revolution in Orange County. Ernest Dollar, BFA, MA Orange County was the center of Backcountry life in colonial North Carolina. With the coming of war in 1776, the area and its main town, Hillsborough, witnessed exciting and important events that ultimately led to the founding of a new nation. Historian Dollar, who is director of museums for Raleigh, explores the rich history of Orange County's people, places, and events that were central to the struggle for freedom and independence during the American Revolution.
