Science & Math   

Nebraska’s native wildflowers and grasses have a rich history here on the Great Plains. These plants were not only beautiful but were also useful to the Native Americans and prairie pioneers. Most every plant had a purpose, whether it was used for ceremony, food, medicine, shelter or for play. Learn about our native wild fruits, nuts, seeds, and other edible plants which grow wild in our region or in your own yard.

Nebraska’s native wildflowers and grasses have a rich history here on the Great Plains. These plants were not only beautiful but were also useful to the Native Americans and prairie pioneers. Most every plant had a purpose, whether it was used for ceremony, food, medicine, shelter or for play. Learn about our native wild fruits, nuts, seeds, and other edible plants which grow wild in our region or in your own yard.

Learn about the steps and challenges involved in developing new food products, including those associated with consumers expectations for healthier and innovative foods. We will be faced with the opportunity to formulate a product that needs to meet certain consumer needs, without compromising product flavor, texture and color.

Who decides which annual plants will be in the city gardens and where do those plants come from? Lincoln city horticulturists will answer those questions and many more during this course in the city’s public gardens section greenhouses. If you enjoyed the Sunken Gardens visit in June, you will be interested in hearing about the theme for summer 2023. We will learn how Lincoln’s gardens begin with seeds and grow into the beauty that we all appreciate.

Who decides which annual plants will be in the city gardens and where do those plants come from? Lincoln city horticulturists will answer those questions and many more during this course in the city’s public gardens section greenhouses. If you enjoyed the Sunken Gardens visit in June, you will be interested in hearing about the theme for summer 2023. We will learn how Lincoln’s gardens begin with seeds and grow into the beauty that we all appreciate.

The following video programs are on demand on the online platform CANVAS. Learn at your own pace, on your own time and at your convenience. This programming is available for a single cost of $30. After registration, you will receive an email with a “Join Code” and instructions for how to access programming.

All programming originates from OLLI at UNL.

A History of Lincoln’s Auditoria and the Pershing Auditorium Block

Before a village could become a true city, it needed a newspaper and an opera house— not a place to hear opera but a theatre or auditorium where you could witness a play or hold a graduation. Lincoln and Nebraska Historian Jim McKee explores Lincoln’s auditoriums, both private and public, from theatre held in the first capitol to Pershing Municipal Auditorium, with the largest outdoor mural in the world at the time, as well as Block 63 where Pershing sat for over half a century and what may take its place.

Take a Walk in the Clouds

During our childhoods, we may have spent time lying in the grass on a hot, summer day, gazing at the clouds and talking with our siblings or friends about what shapes they formed. KOLN/KGIN TV Meteorologist Brad Anderson shares information regarding the different types and shapes of clouds, the weather they can bring, and how they form.

Fly Girls

In 1929, at the dawn of aviation when every flight was a test of courage, 20 gutsy and passionate female pilots in propeller-driven planes raced from California to Ohio in the first female cross-country air race, making 18 stops in nine days, while competing for the $8,000 prize. During World War II, the 1,034 Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs) ferried and flight-tested aircraft bombers in the U.S. and taught men how to fly. When the war ended, Congress clipped their wings and sent the WASPs home; they did not receive military status until 1977. In 1961, 13 remarkable women pilots underwent secret testing to become America’s first female astronauts. The Mercury 13 were ignored by NASA and on Capitol Hill while the USSR sent its first woman into space in 1963. Self-taught historian Lynn Roper and other experts of women aviators share in this fascinating series of lectures.

Women of the Bible

Dr. Jonathan Redding, Assistant Professor of Religion at Nebraska Wesleyan University, analyzes the portrayal of women in Biblical literature. He explores critical theories of feminist, womanist, and gender studies alongside their application to biblical studies. What factors may have influenced how these ancient authors portray women?

Trading Under the Buttonwood Tree: Founding the Stock Market

On May 17, 1792, 24 men gathered under a tree in lower Manhattan to establish an auction market among themselves to trade government bonds. The NYSE then and now seeks to complete transactions quickly and cheaply and to always provide liquidity with a ready buyer and seller of securities. Still using an auction market with a “bid” and an “ask,” electronic trading still uses a market maker and specialist system. Lynn Roper, retired senior vice president at Merrill Lynch, shares the history, mechanics of trading, and significant events shaping the NYSE as the world’s largest securities trading system.

America and the World War in Ukraine (and Other Modern Challenges)

Since the beginning of the 20th century, the U.S. has been, by many measures, the most influential nation in the world. As Americans and their government have navigated complicated global currents,  they have encountered difficult challenges, including: nationalism and globalization from the American revolution to the Russian war on Ukraine; Russia, the Cold War and the challenge of socialism; the place of China and Asia in the American story; and the American role in climate change. UNL Modern World History Professor Tim Borstelmann explores each of these critical issues in the American relationship with the rest of the world.

Deterrence: From Korea to Ukraine – The Evolution of a Vital National Security

General George C. Marshall once said, “The only way human beings can win a war is to prevent it.” Deterrence, specifically nuclear deterrence, has been a mainstay of United States foreign policy and national security. The term lost relevance with the demise of the Soviet Union in the early 90’s but is front page news again after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Retired Major General Roger Lempke explores the definitions, dilemmas, and stories of nuclear deterrence that helped avert a nuclear conflict during the Cold War. After a thirty- year hiatus, very direct nuclear threats have emerged again. Would stronger deterrence actions before the Russian invasion perhaps caused Putin to think twice?

The American Civil War: Causes and Consequences – More Than You Think

Volume after volume has been written about the American Civil War. Despite all that information, do we really know the whole story about what led up to the war and what came after? The causes can be traced back to early settlements in 1607 and events that led to the war. We are still dealing with the consequences. Come along this historical journey as Gary Timm, retired history faculty member at Northeast Community College explores the causes and effects of the Civil War. It’s more than you think.

“There ain’t no cryin’ in mathematics!” Mathematics is an artistic endeavor that requires imagination and creativity. We will explore mathematics in unique ways, from artistic works from the perspective of a mathematician to patterns in nature, bar codes and geometry. We will discuss the meaning of infinity and discover the twists and turns of a geometry called topology. Mathematics is full of ideas comparable to the works of Shakespeare, Plato, and Michelangelo. Gain a better understanding of some rich mathematical ideas and develop a new perspective on the world. It is intended to excite the math lover and quell the fears of the math fearful.

Are you curious about how stress can be managed in your body? Learn about basic stress signaling concepts, the latest biochemistry techniques, and how to measure stress levels in the cell. Gain an understanding of the stress adaptation process at the microscopic level. The type of stress your body can get and how tissue damage can occur will be discussed, along with autophagy as a stress adaptation process and how cells recover to alleviate stress. Learn more about how your body reacts to stress and increase your ability to cope with stress in the future.

Are you curious about how stress can be managed in your body? Learn about basic stress signaling concepts, the latest biochemistry techniques, and how to measure stress levels in the cell. Gain an understanding of the stress adaptation process at the microscopic level. The type of stress your body can get and how tissue damage can occur will be discussed, along with autophagy as a stress adaptation process and how cells recover to alleviate stress. Learn more about how your body reacts to stress and increase your ability to cope with stress in the future.

Crops irrigated by water from the High Plains/ Ogallala Aquifer comprise a significant portion of the world’s food supply. This water is Nebraska’s most important natural resource. Learn how raging rivers, flowing off the Rocky Mountains starting about 18 million years ago, formed this feature that is of such importance to us today.

Crops irrigated by water from the High Plains/ Ogallala Aquifer comprise a significant portion of the world’s food supply. This water is Nebraska’s most important natural resource. Learn how raging rivers, flowing off the Rocky Mountains starting about 18 million years ago, formed this feature that is of such importance to us today.

We will learn about numerous topics related to our personal power choices and how we can save money through efficiency and renewable energy generation. What are the upcoming power generating technologies and choices? How is LES preparing to meet the challenges of storms and potential power outages? We will also learn what it means to “work the grid” in power transmission throughout a portion of the United States.

We will learn about numerous topics related to our personal power choices and how we can save money through efficiency and renewable energy generation. What are the upcoming power generating technologies and choices? How is LES preparing to meet the challenges of storms and potential power outages? We will also learn what it means to “work the grid” in power transmission throughout a portion of the United States.

Severe weather comes to us through our senses, whether it’s the sound of thunder, the feel of high winds and driving rain, the view of storm clouds or the soreness in your joints when bad weather is predicted. Learn the details behind severe weather statistics, safety and terminology. Stories of historic storms and tornadoes will be shared, enhanced by many pictures and videos.

Severe weather comes to us through our senses, whether it’s the sound of thunder, the feel of high winds and driving rain, the view of storm clouds or the soreness in your joints when bad weather is predicted. Learn the details behind severe weather statistics, safety and terminology. Stories of historic storms and tornadoes will be shared, enhanced by many pictures and videos.

Join us for a winter wander with staff from the Pioneers Park Nature Center. We will go on a 1 to 2 mile walk around the Nature Center, exploring how life has adapted for Nebraska’s winter weather. Dress for the elements; we will be outside exploring for the duration. Binoculars, cameras, walking sticks and layered clothing are all encouraged.

Learn the basic skills necessary to function and flourish in an increasingly digital and online world. We will discuss tools to effectively address the most popular phone and computer- based scams including identity theft, the nation’s number one consumer complaint. We will provide a practicum on safe browsing, secure banking, online shopping and payment systems, monitoring and protecting your credit, and cybersecurity. Created for everyone from the technophobic novice to the enthusiastic early adopter, the course focuses on the utility and benefit derived from using technology as a tool to stay connected, make life easier, and increase the quality of our lives.

Learn the basic skills necessary to function and flourish in an increasingly digital and online world. We will discuss tools to effectively address the most popular phone and computer- based scams including identity theft, the nation’s number one consumer complaint. We will provide a practicum on safe browsing, secure banking, online shopping and payment systems, monitoring and protecting your credit, and cybersecurity. Created for everyone from the technophobic novice to the enthusiastic early adopter, the course focuses on the utility and benefit derived from using technology as a tool to stay connected, make life easier, and increase the quality of our lives.

Have you heard about Nebraska’s best kept secret? Nebraska Extension has been engaging with people in all 93 counties for more than a century as a trusted educational resource; inspiring fulfilled, prosperous, and healthful lives. Discover how Extension engages with Nebraskans wherever they are, connecting them with the resources, research, and innovation of the University of Nebraska. Part I of this series focuses on an overview of the Nebraska Extension system followed by focused sessions on Water and Cropping Systems, Agricultural Profitability, Early Childhood, and Urban Extension. By living and working in communities, Extension educators rely on local relationships to respond to local needs, build trust, and engage effectively. Discover how you too can learn, engage, collaborate, and volunteer with Extension in your community. Nobody connects with the people of Nebraska like Extension!

 

Have you heard about Nebraska’s best kept secret? Nebraska Extension has been engaging with people in all 93 counties for more than a century as a trusted educational resource; inspiring fulfilled, prosperous, and healthful lives. Discover how Extension engages with Nebraskans wherever they are, connecting them with the resources, research, and innovation of the University of Nebraska. Part I of this series focuses on an overview of the Nebraska Extension system followed by focused sessions on Water and Cropping Systems, Agricultural Profitability, Early Childhood, and Urban Extension. By living and working in communities, Extension educators rely on local relationships to respond to local needs, build trust, and engage effectively. Discover how you too can learn, engage, collaborate, and volunteer with Extension in your community. Nobody connects with the people of Nebraska like Extension!

 

We will pick up where we left off in Term 2 and continue exploring twelve additional geological wonders, listening to additional Great Courses DVD lectures given by a professional geologist. Supplemental information will be provided by the OLLI facilitator. Discussion will follow each lecture led by the OLLI facilitator.