Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Courses (STEM)   

The portrayal in the media and entertainment industries of how people respond during fire and other emergencies is typically not accurate. In this course, we will discuss the difference between how people actually respond compared to the ways that they are portrayed as responding. In addition to covering how people respond during fire and other emergencies, participants in the course will be introduced to how the building codes address human behavior and how this has changed over time. In addition, we will cover how information can be delivered that will result in better and safer responses for a variety of different types of events including large crowds, community-level, and building-level events.

Scammers are getting so sophisticated and using AI to grow more adept at tricking people every day. We will explore some online scams, how you can protect yourself, and how you can help educate your friends and family.

We will talk about science in schools today. How are the sciences valued and taught in today’s classrooms? How does it differ from 10, 20, or 50 years ago? We’ll look at hands on STEM classes – or STEAM now with the incorporation of the arts. Last but not least, we’ll learn about Starbase and how we became a highly successful program.

Remember when there were only three commercial television networks? One or two local newspapers? No internet? Times have changed! Join us to explore how to navigate the present-day bombardment of our senses with media messages through learning to “read” media like we learned to read books as children: step by step, source by source. We will examine a variety of current and historical examples from sources including advertising, TV, movies, and social media.

This class will offer an exciting journey into the joys amateur radio can offer. We'll learn about the science behind radio, and we'll take a good look at the history and uses of amateur radio over time, including today's many uses. Whether you're curious about amateur radio, you're a science or history buff, or you're already deeply engaged in amateur radio operation, this class is for you!

This course will walk through the ABC's (Accommodation, Barriers, Challenges) that may be experienced by older adults with and without neurological disorders.

Life is a complicated tapestry of continuous endings and beginnings. We have all experienced those pivotal moments in life when some destabilizing event occurs that shakes us to the core. It might be the death of a loved one, a divorce, a life-altering diagnosis, or some traumatic brush with death. Blending psychological insight, practical, evidence-based self-care tools, and mindful practices designed to explore self-awareness and enhance support during life transitions, you're encouraged to embrace change with courage, confidence, and compassion. This class offers a steady guide and a hopeful perspective to help you reimagine who you truly are when life changes and to discover what gives your life meaning and purpose.

Please join us for 4 weeks of humor, all that it entails and insights into the benefits it provides. Humor can be used for influence, well-being, and entertainment. What's amazing: 1. Memory recall increases 23% after watching a funny video. 2. In anticipating humor, stress decreases by 39%. 3. A person is 2 times more productive after taking a humor break. We'll explore what science and research have to offer on the subject and most importantly, we'll gain connection with others who value humor and who seek more humor in their lives. Bring your funny stories and your funny bone. We'll have a blast getting healthier and happier with humor.

"Adolescents are often described as “crazy” or difficult to deal with. With the rise of the digitally born generation and increasing AI usage, the challenges that parents, teachers, or caregivers face at home and school may feel even more complex. In this course, we will read Lost at School together to deepen our understanding of adolescents. Rather than simply labeling them as lazy, disruptive, or overly emotional, we will explore how to identify the underlying factors contributing to their behaviors. How are their physical, cognitive, and social development connected to these challenges?

Additionally, by integrating diverse cultural perspectives (e.g., South Korea and Vietnam), our goal is to develop a more holistic understanding of adolescence both locally and globally. Whether you’re a teacher, a parent, a grandparent, or simply interested in the ways adolescents have been viewed over time and across a variety of socio-cultural spaces, this class is for you! "

During the mid-twentieth century, almost all research on tornadic storms was conducted by the United States military and government weather services in close partnership with just two universities: Oklahoma A&M (OAMC) in Stillwater, OK and Texas A&M University (TAMU) at College Station, TX. On these two campuses research teams forged the first electronic tools for detecting and tracking severe weather and tornadic activity. In1947, Dr. Herbert L. Jones, professor of Electrical Engineering at OAMC, initiated a ground-breaking approach to tornado detection and, as a result of widespread media attention to his work, Herb “Cyclone” Jones became the first nationally celebrated “tornado chaser” in America. His work also helped validate critical advances in tornado detection technology, such as the use of radar imagery developed at TAMU, as well as the meteorology of tornado prediction developed by Air Force meteorologists at Tinker Air Force Base.

In this class, we are going to learn about native plants and their value to the ecosystem. When choosing plants for your garden or landscape, understanding that some plants may be pretty and flower but others provide food and habitat for caterpillars that feed birds is key. Some plants provide food and habitat for many species; Doug Tallamy calls these keystone plants. His research is changing the way we see our yards and landscaping. Each person will go home with a native plant for their yard.

In this course, we will explore the three fascinating realms of the cosmos: nearby planets and moons; the stars; and the galaxies (the great island of stars that turn out to be the building blocks of the universe.) Our discussion will be in everyday language, without any math, and will be accompanied by remarkable color images from the latest space probes and the world's largest telescopes, including the latest breathtaking images from the James Webb Space Telescope.

How does DNA reshape our understanding of ancestry, colonial society, and identity in the Americas? In this course, we will explore the science and methodology of genetic genealogy through the lens of first contact between European and Indigenous peoples. Using the New Mexico DNA Project as a central case study, we will examine how Y-DNA and mitochondrial DNA can confirm, complicate, and challenge traditional research. Topics include Y-DNA Adam, Indigenous maternal haplogroups, the Spanish castas system, and colonial identity. We will consider the ethical and political implications of DNA testing and the limits of what genetic evidence can, and cannot, reveal about race and belonging.

This course introduces the scientific study of life, with an emphasis on real-world applications and the societal, social, ethical, and legal consequences of biological advances. We will place key biological principles within the context of issues that affect individuals and society, highlighting the connection between biology and everyday life. Designed for non-scientists with little or no recent college-level science experience, the course encourages discussion and reflection. Many topics are at the leading edge of scientific discovery, and we will examine the ongoing ethical and legal debates surrounding how and whether these advances should be applied.

What really changes when we read beyond the abstract? In this interactive course, we will open real research papers (many in health and nutrition) and explore what scientists actually look for. We will explore how small design choices can dramatically shape a study’s meaning, and why headlines rarely tell the full story. No technical background is required – just curiosity. By the end of the course, we will never read “studies show…” the same way again.